NEWS
Courtside Together: Manawatū Jets and IPU New Zealand
Here at IPU New Zealand, not only do we pride ourselves on the academic standards we set for our staff and students, we also encourage our students to play their part in the wider Manawatū community, and experience what the region has to offer.
Therefore, when one of our students, Thomas Grant, who is in his final year of a Bachelor of Contemporary International Studies (BCIS) here at IPU New Zealand, started his internship with the Manawatū Jets at the start of the 2021 National Basketball League season, we looked at ways of involving our students as much as possible.
Following an idea from Thomas, the IPU Crew was born, and for each of the Manawatū Jets home games, a group of IPU New Zealand students went along to experience the games, helping out with the ushering duties at the Fly Palmy Arena and taking their place courtside. The IPU New Zealand Kodama Drum Team also became involved, supplying their unique rhythm and spectacle courtside, which engerised the crowd to cheer the Manawatū Jets on even more, and after Kodama’s performance against the Canterbury Rams, which led to a Manawatū Jets victory, the Drum Team were invited back for each home game to help create the winning atmosphere.
As you can imagine, great fun was had by one and all, and our students were able to experience the razzamatazz of the region’s very own professional basketball team and all that encompasses.
Of course, there were many other advantages, not least our students being involved with the local community, meeting lots of people, but also helping to cement the links between the Manawatū Jets and IPU New Zealand, something we are looking forwards to be able to build on for the 2022 season.
