Rangatahi from five kura in the Counties Manukau region came together for the inaugural Next Gen CrossFit Competition presented by Brown Pride.

The idea was born out of a discussion at our National School Sport Conference held in Wellington 2022, where our Sports Directors and Coordinators from our region along with our Regional Sports Directors facilitated to explore ways of introducing more young people to functional fitness. Forward to 2025, the RSDs had identified with our Maori Kura to pilot the opportunity as they did not get as many opportunities along with mainstream secondary schools to try a recreation sport like Crossfit.

With support from Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding, Brown Pride rolled out their Next Gen programme across five kura over two terms, giving students a taste of a sport rarely seen in schools and culminating in this friendly comp.

“It’s great to see this initiative that we came up with 2 years ago has come to fruition with help of CLM Community Sport & Brown Pride” says Whaea Triani Vitolio (Te Kura Maori o Rohe o Māngere) “It was awesome to see the kids get amongst it today”

Founded in 2020, Brown Pride’s mission to empower people through community fitness is strongly aligned with CLM Community Sport.

Brown Pride Founder Johnnie Timu says “I was blessed enough to compete with the Brown Pride team over in Australia at the Oceania CrossFit Games & it was sad to not see any of our teenagers from South Auckland there. I know they have the talent, a strength & fitness to compete there. The Tu Manawa Fund has given our kids the opportunity to get a taste of a sport they don’t see in schools & they have the potential to attend the World Games”

Rangatahi who took part in the programme shared that it not only introduced them to CrossFit, but also lifted their overall fitness for other sports and kapa haka. A highlight for many was the chance to come together with other kura and compete in the final competition.

It is our goal at CLM Community to support a Crossfit opportunity to our wider secondary schools in our region in 2026 and provide a locally led opportunity for rangatahi to get active.