NEWS

The latest news from Korfball New Zealand

Expression of Interest: U21 Korfball New Zealand Manager (Voluntary Position)

The Team Manager will play a pivotal role in managing the logistics of the U21 Korfball New Zealand Team.

Beyond administrative tasks, the manager is required to always promote a positive image of Korfball New

Zealand. Ideally this appointment would be for 2 years to capture the U21 IKF calendar events.


Position: U21 Korfball Manager

Term: 2 years (with KNZ review after AOKC 2025 to confirm extension until World Championships)

Type: Voluntary

Age Group: Under 21

Tournaments: Under 21 AOKC 2025, Under 21 World Champs 2026 (if qualified)

Locations: TBC


Key Responsibilities:

• Proactively planning, organising, and implementing the squad’s operational plan. This involves meticulous

coordination of activities, schedules, and resources.

• Attend training sessions alongside the coach, assistant coach, and players. They will ensure that all

logistical aspects—such as equipment, facilities, and support staff are in place.

• Arrange timely payments for items and activities outlined in the operational plan. Whether it is korfballs,

uniforms, or travel expenses, financial management is a critical aspect.

• The manager will be required to keep detailed records of financial transactions and obligations.

• Regional and International Events, as Team Manager you will manage the representation of Korfball New

Zealand in both regional and international tournaments.

• The Team Manager will ensure that all squad activities align with Korfball New Zealand’s policies and

procedures.

• As manager you will provide support with welfare matters, ensuring the well-being of players and coaches.


Requirements:

• A good grasp of the requirements of a national squad at international tournaments.

• Prior experience in managing teams, financial planning, and reporting advantageous.

• Excellent leadership, people skills, and organisational abilities.

• Enthusiasm and energy to drive success and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

• Genuine love for Korfball and a desire to contribute to its growth in New Zealand.


How to Apply: If you are excited about this opportunity and believe you have the skills and passion to make

a positive impact, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your expression of interest, including a

brief overview of your experience and why you are interested in this role to info@korfballnz.co.nz and

bevan@korfballnz.co.nz

Join us in shaping the future of Korfball and inspiring the next generation of athletes!




U21 Korfball New Zealand Coach (Voluntary Position)

 Applications close Wednesday, 6 November 2024.



Are you passionate about Korfball and eager to make a difference in the lives of young athletes? We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as the U21 Korfball New Zealand Coach. Ideally, this appointment would be for a minimum of two years to capture the U21 IKF calendar events.


Position: New Zealand U21 Korfball Coach


Term: 2 years (with KNZ review after AOKC 2025 to confirm extension until World Championships)


Type: Voluntary


Tournaments:

  • Under 21 Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2025
  • Under 21 World Korfball Championship 2026 (if qualified)


Locations: TBC


As the New Zealand U21 Korfball Coach, you will play a crucial role in developing and guiding our young athletes. This voluntary position requires a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive environment where players of different personalities can thrive. Your passion for the sport and ability to connect with and motivate young athletes will be key to their success.


Key Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement training programs tailored to the U21 age group.
  • Foster a supportive and inclusive team culture.
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to players, helping them develop both their skills and sportsmanship.
  • Plan and lead training sessions, ensuring they are engaging and effective.
  • Prepare the team for competitions and tournaments.
  • Communicate effectively with players, parents, whanau, and KNZ.


Requirements:

  • Strong passion for Korfball and youth development.
  • Ability to guide and inspire players with different personalities.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Previous coaching experience is preferred but not essential.
  • Commitment to a two-year voluntary term.


How to Apply:

If you are excited about this opportunity and believe you have the skills and passion to make a positive impact, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your application, including a cover letter about your interest in the role and a CV of your korfball/coaching experience to info@korfballnz.co.nz and bevan@korfballnz.co.nz


Join us in shaping the future of Korfball and inspiring the next generation of athletes!


Korfball New Zealand U21 2024
Congratulations  to the Korfball New Zealand Under-21  on their performance at the IKF U21 World Championships

held in Kemer, Turkey, from July 6th–13th, 2024 gaining 10th place.


IKF U21 WORLD KORFBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 2024


The Korfball New Zealand U21 team will be competing in Kemer Turkey

 from the 6th -13th July 2024


Players

2 Scarlett Kirby

12 Tahlia James

14 Tayla Hardy (Captain)

15 Brie Benns

16 Payton Edmundson

18 Kate Rich

19 Savanna Eden

20 James Harrison

21 Levi Ferguson

22 Liam Day

24 Tyrell Eden

26 Charlie Mooar

27 Fin Matheson

30 Cody Siegenthaler


Follow and support us on

youtube.com/ikfchannel and on www.worldkorfball.sport

IKF 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Korfball New Zealand Senior Team will be competing against 23 teams in the 12th IKF World Korfball Championship.  The Championshps take place in Chinese Taipei in the city of Taipei from

20th to 29th  October 2023.

Korfball New Zealand Annual General Meeting

Room 3 Upper Riccarton Community and School Library

71 Main South Road, Sockburn, Christchurch 8042

and via Zoom 7.00pm

Wednesday 20 September 2023

 

Agenda


1. Welcome

2. Opening – housekeeping and advice of proceedings, voting process

3. Apologies

4. Roll Call - Delegates

5.  Confirmation of the Minutes from the 2022 AGM

6.  Adoption of the Annual Report and Financial Statements

7.  Election of Korfball New Zealand Board Members

8.  Thank you to outgoing Board Members

9.  Appointment of Honorary Solicitor

10. Appointment of Auditor – Hold over to be appointed if audit required.

11. General Business


     AGM Close


     Open Discussion


Delegates as advised to Korfball New Zealand only may speak at the AGM, the open discussion following the AGM will be an open to all. 

If you have a specific topic for the open discusison , please forward details to info@korfballnz.co.nz  for consideration. 


The zoom link will be sent to regions and nominees.  If you require the link please email info@korfballnz.co.nz prior to the meeting, with your contact details.



Congratulations  to the Korfball New Zealand Under 21  on their performance at the IKF U21 AOKC Tournament

8 -13 August 2023, held in Shah Alam, Malaysia



Korfball New Zealand 2023 U21 Team


Korfball New Zealand is delighted to announce the 2023 New Zealand U21 Squad and Management team.


This tournament is a qualifying tournament for the 2024 IKF U21 World Championships.


Abbey Loffhagen

Genesis Bennett

Helina Ta

Isabelle Swart

Kate Rich

Scarlett Kirby

Sophie Hammond-Parish

Caleb McNicholl

Cody Siegenthaler

Franco Vercueil

Levi Ferguson

Ollie Dawson

Tomas Revington

Tyrell Eden


Korfball New Zealand is delighted to appoint a player who has represented New Zealand at International level to the Management team, along with Jenni who has coaching/management experience with several sports.


Coach                                  Jakob Eder

Manager                             Jenni Loffhagen


To those players not included in the team, thank you for taking to time to participate in the trial for the 2023 U21 team. Please keep attending local training and involve yourself as much as possible in your local Canterbury Winter Competition.   Several you may be eligible for the Korfball NZ U19 squad, do not be disappointed that you are not in the U21 team.

New Zealand Korfball Team achieves history-making result at AOKC

The New Zealand Korfball team competed at the IKF AOKC in November 2022, after a break in international competitions due to Covid-19. Twelve teams attended the competition - the highest number in AOKC history. New Zealand was placed in a pool with China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore. In the final pool game versus frequent rival Hong Kong China, New Zealand took out the win - placing us second in the pool with a confirmed top four spot and heading to the semi-finals. This made history as it was the first time a Kiwi team had ever reached the semi-finals at an international tournament. 

 

The following game was a loss to Chinese Taipei (the 3rd ranked team in the world) followed by a 3rd/4th play off against Australia. New Zealand and Australia had not played each other in official competition in the twelve years prior and this was also a chance to compete for a bronze medal, so this game was an important one for many reasons. The Australians came out fighting and took an early lead, which New Zealand were unable to recover from despite an energetic comeback. This saw New Zealand take out 4th place, which is an incredible placing for our growing korfball country and affirms the progress we have seen over the past few years.

 

This result qualifies New Zealand for the IKF World Korfball Championships, scheduled for October 2023 in Chinese Taipei. Trial information will follow for the wider squad in preparation for World Champs. 


New Zealand Korfball Team 2022

Trial for New Zealand National Squad - 28/29 January 2023

Dates

  • Saturday 28 Jan 10am-4pm
  • Sunday 29 Jan 10am-3pm

 

Fitness testing will be included and part of the selection criteria. Further details to be posted closer to the trial. Following the trial, a wider training squad will be selected. Final team selection will occur at the end of April.

 

Please register your intention to trial by emailing Bevan Lawson (coach) at aladdin.nz@gmail.com or contacting via Messenger

 

Announcement of National Development squad for 2022


Korfball New Zealand advises selection of its 2022 Development Squad. Congratulations to the following:


Genesis Bennett

Sam Carswell

Harriet Clapp

Savanna Eden

Evelyn Gilmore

Tayla Hardy

Scarlett Kirby

Katelyn McNabb

Molly Mooar

Isabelle Swart

Kate Rich

Helina Ta

Emma Todd

           

Geordan Day

Tyrell Eden

Louis Hamilton

Caleb McNicholl

Tom Revington

Jaden Salkeld

Israel Soper

Brody Tew

Joshua Ting

Franco Vercueil

Kyro Webster.


Please note: the primary purpose of this squad is to prepare for U19 and U21 tournaments when the International Korfball Federation programme resumes. While we hope to hear news about plans for the resumption of the programme in the next few weeks, there is currently no certainty about that. The above-named squad is therefore intended as initial preparation for those age group squads, focusing on 2023.


To those players not included in this selection, please keep attending local training and involve yourself as much as possible in all korfball activities. Once we know how the international programme will proceed, we will prepare a more detailed selection and preparation plan, at which point additional players are likely to have the opportunity to add their names to those above.


Finally, several of our trialists will be eligible to play at the U17 level in 2023. For those players, please do not be disappointed if you are not included in the list above: we saw plenty of potential at this age group, and are confident that, as and when the International Korfball Federation has definite plans for an U17 tournament, likely in 2023, we will do our best to make sure New Zealand is represented, which will be your opportunity. As noted above, if that is you, please keep working on your skills: your efforts will be rewarded. 


Thank you,

KNZ Selectors

Announcement of National Senior squad for 2022


Korfball New Zealand is delighted to announce the New Zealand National Senior squad to prepare for the Asia Oceania Korfball Championship, 2022.


We have selected the following 18 players to commence preparation:

Katelyn Huata-Chapman

Nicole Lloyd

Juliet Robertson

Chelsea Ruiz

Zara Sadler

Lynnette Sakaria

Rosie Smith

Michelle Tapp

Kennedy Vallance

Ynys Bach-Strong

Torsten Ball

Youri Borrink

Boris Van Bruchem

Liam Day

Tom Donaldson

Spencer Te Pou

Per Tonascia

Jeric Sta Rita


This squad will be reduced prior to travel.


At present the location and date for that tournament is to be decided. This will be advised as soon as we know.


An announcement on the coaching team for the squad will be made before or at the first training camp.


Training camps are scheduled as follows:

16/17 October

20/21 November

11/12 December

22/23 January 2022

12/13 February 2022

12/13 March 2022

9/10 April 2022.


Additional camps will be added to this schedule once we have confirmation of the tournament dates.


Congratulations to those selected, and thanks to everyone else who trialled: the number of triallists and level of korfball at the trials was hugely encouraging, and indicates that our sport has a bright future.


We intend to announce the selection for the Development Squad shortly. 


Thank you,

KNZ Selectors

2024 U21 Team Announced

By Korfball NZ • 10 Mar, 2024
This is a subtitle for your new post

Korfball – A Sport for Today’s World

16 Oct, 2019
By CJ Fildes Sport has a unique capacity to unite us. It’s one of humanity’s most potent, effective forms of diplomacy. Nothing else brings diametrically opposed groups together in the same way. After all, The Christmas Truce of 1914 wouldn’t have happened without a common love of the ‘beautiful game’. Sport so rarely brings together different genders within one competing unit. Yes, women’s sport is gaining in prominence. Yes, we’re seeing more female sports journalists. Yes, there is more funding for female sports teams. It’s rare – perhaps with the exception of tennis mixed doubles – that men and women can play together equally, collaborate, score goals and win. Gender diversity rarely exists within individual teams sports.

Learn why children love to play Korfball

16 Oct, 2019
We are taking korfball into primary and secondary schools – these young players explain why they love the sport

What makes this such a great sport?

16 Oct, 2019
Arguments that one sport is superior to all or any others can never be resolved and serve little or no purpose. All sports have a place, but many also have the capacity to adapt and evolve in response to changing trends in society. If the rules of a sport enable situations from ‘real life’ to be symbolically enacted, analogised or mirrored on the field or the court, so much the better. Examining its origins and considering what sets this sport apart from others shows how korfball fits into this model. Like many other team sports, korfball was first developed for children in school. Korfball’s originator, Nico Broekhuysen, taught at a school in one of Amsterdam’s poorer districts at the turn of the twentieth century. Inspired by an early version of basketball he had seen while on a summer camp for physical educators, Nico established korfball in 1903. Unlike all other team sports, Nico’s stroke of genius was to find a simple way of including boys and girls equally within the rules of the game. Other sports originated in single sex schooling environments – either as a deliberate mechanism to keep children apart, or as a matter of necessity because none of the ‘other’ sex were available to play with. By accident or design, Nico took a quite different path. Sport should teach us about life: ‘look after your mates’, ‘if you cheat you only cheat yourself’, ‘with teamwork the sum will be greater than the parts.’ Korfball teaches these lessons, and others, as do many sports. The unique legacy of Nico’s radical departure is a sport that reflects a fundamental truth about society in a way no other sport can: ‘to achieve success, males and females need to work together.’ While it is true that some other sports have developed variants that include both sexes, these generally are not able to create the gender balance inherent to korfball, where the two sexes co-operate together within a team, while personally directly opposing only members of their own sex. Its status as the world’s only truly mixed team sport is the most important thing that sets korfball apart. To use a marketing term, this is its USP (unique selling point). It also has other characteristics that make it fun to play, an ongoing challenge to perfect and a meaningful activity to teach. Structurally, games of korfball can be seen as a series of one on one duels. While the one on one duel is true for the game at the highest level, it is even more strongly the case when played by beginners or those with a social interest. Each player has a personal opponent. For part of the game the primary object is to keep this opponent from scoring. For the rest of the game, the object becomes how to outwit or outplay this person and score against him or her. The opportunity to use skill, speed, experience and psychology to dominate an opponent – either in attack or defence – gives enormous scope for anybody who enjoys competition. Without undermining the urge to compete, Nico’s rules require individuals to prioritise the needs of the team, therefore tempering the selfish aspects that can be associated with competitiveness. Good teamwork is very important. No ‘solo play’ (dribbling or running with the ball) means good players can only succeed if they support and are supported by their team-mates. A so-called ‘one man team’ is unlikely to do well. By the same token, there is nowhere to hide in a game of korfball – everyone has to be involved, or the team will suffer. In general, a korfball team can only ever be as good as its weakest player. Lessons about supporting each other – comprehending and allowing for your team-mates’ strengths and weaknesses – are easy to demonstrate in korfball. Once properly understood, these lessons will serve an individual player and a team well on the court – and possibly even better if they are applied to the rest of life as well. If the rule prohibiting solo play encapsulates basic social principles, the ‘defended’ rule ensures korfball gives players a demanding aerobic workout. While defended by an opponent of the same sex, a player may not shoot for the korf. The first objective for the attacking team is therefore to ‘free’ one of its members from his or her personal opponent long enough for a legal shot to be made. Quick movements, with many changes of pace and direction, are therefore necessary for both attackers and defenders. Through the course of a game, if played against an opponent of approximately equal skill level, this is likely to become very demanding aerobic exercise. The other stroke of genius in Nico’s rules was to require that roles be changed after two goals. In some other sports players take the same role throughout a game – or even throughout an entire sporting career. In korfball variety is important – attackers and defenders will change roles many times during a game. Additionally, even within an attack zone, the roles are more fluid – shooters, assisters and rebounders interchange constantly. Although a degree of specialisation can occur at the top level of korfball, even then all players will need a good practical comprehension of each role if the team is to succeed. The net effect of this is to expand the abilities of players: being a good ‘all-rounder’ is important. What is intangible about the game, however, is how much fun it can be. These lessons that the rules of korfball can teach would never be learnt if children – and adults – did not find the game enjoyable. They do, which, ideology, sociology and educational theory aside, is first and foremost what it is all about. Rob Smith
Share by: