Ko te manaaki i ngā kaihākinakina.
Caring for Aotearoa's sporting community.

Sports Chaplaincy New Zealand provides pastoral care and wellbeing support to Aotearoa New Zealand’s sporting communities. We do this by training up Sports Chaplains to be volunteers in sports communities providing free, accessible pastoral care, support and mentoring to athletes, staff officials and their whānau on site and at the point of need irrespective of religion, lifestyle and beliefs.

What is a Sports Chaplain?

Sports Chaplains are volunteers in sports communities providing free, accessible pastoral care, support and mentoring to athletes, staff officials and their whānau on site and at the point of need irrespective of religion, lifestyle and beliefs.

The effect of Sports Chaplains placed in sports communities is improved mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing leading to better people, better lives, better outcomes and better communities.

Sports Chaplains are not sports psychologists, replacements for player welfare officers or trained counsellors. Sports Chaplains act as first responders to assist people in need to professional services.

Some services Sports Chaplains provide

  • Grief, loss and bereavement support
  • Critical incident response and recovery
  • Life-skills mentoring
  • Mental wellbeing support
  • Suicide awareness and intervention
  • Home and hospital visitations
  • Transitions in life, career guidance and support

Adding Value in Waikato.

Sports Chaplaincy is growing in the Waikato, adding value to clubs, teams and schools.

Melville United AFC, Thames Valley RFU, Cambridge referees, St Paul's Collegiate and St Peter's Cambridge. Hear from Phil Pawley, our National Director, and a few sporting partners.

A Sports Chaplain's Impact.

Sports Chaplains provide support in many ways during the hardest of life's experiences.

This video tells a story when Sports Chaplain, Matt Hawkins, was called upon to lead a blessing ceremony at the AUT Millennium Institute after a tragic death in the pool.

Basketball is
​​​​​​​Calling!

Through stress, pressure, loss, and victory, Sports Chaplains are present.

Hear from Shane Auld (Southland Sharks chaplain), Chris Homer (Otago Nuggets chaplain), and a few other names in Basketball Otago and Southland.

 

Wellbeing Support

We believe that wellness is about our whole being - mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, and physical. ​​​​​​Listed on our wellbeing support page are a collection of resources tailored to support you.

Join us in prioritising well-being in Aotearoa and fostering resilience within the sports community. Check out our wellbeing resources by clicking the button to the right.

Inspirational Reflections

​​​​​​​These reflections have been written with the aim of encouraging people to find more than just sporting success in this life. Written in-house, these reflections are built upon the wisdom found in the Word of God.​​​​​​​

See our full library of Inspirational Reflections here.

 

 

Interested in becoming a Sports Chaplain?
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We would really love to hear from you, we have a huge need for more Sports Chaplains throughout our nation!

Aotearoa Sports Sunday 2025
Was your church part of Aotearoa Sports Sunday 2025? It was a goodie!

Here in Aotearoa, around 4 million people meet weekly to engage in sport or recreation, and we know that players, coaches, and supporters all experience the trials and triumphs of sport and life.

Each year, Sports Chaplaincy New Zealand collaborates with Global Sports Sunday - a call for churches to express God’s love for people in sport through prayer/karakia.

Read how this year's Aotearoa Sports Sunday played out...​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Some of Our Sporting Partners