Tamariki in Invercargill are being given the chance to get up and close and personal with some of Southland’s biggest sporting names at Splash Palace.

The Splash Palace Sports competition offers local sports teams the chance to win a party with players from the Southland Sharks basketball team. It includes a meet-and-greet session with the players, swim passes and catering.

Invercargill City Council Aquatic Services Manager Stephen Cook said the competition was intended to promote sports passion in schools across the city and Bluff.

“We all know how competitive sports teams can be, especially against each other, so we think this is a great opportunity to play on that rivalry in a really fun way. We’re looking for schools and local clubs to tell us why they’ve got the best sports team and what sets them apart from the rest.”

“The chance for sports teams to win a party with some of the Sharks players is a great way to reward the children for their sporting efforts by spending some time with high-performance athletes,” Cook said.

Southland Sharks Operations Manager Jill Bolger said the players were excited to meet some of their biggest fans.

“The local community is a great supporter of the Sharks and the guys are really looking forward to meeting some of the outstanding young sportspeople that we have in Invercargill and Bluff. The Splash Palace competition is a great way to recognise the commitment these kids put in each week, while blowing off some steam in a fun and safe way.”

Entry into the competition is via Splash Palace’s Facebook page, or sending an email to marketing@icc.govt.nz or in person at Splash Palace’s reception. Each entry will need to include the sports team’s name, contact details and an explanation of why the team deserves to win.

Cook said Splash Palace had been a long-time supporter of several top sporting teams, including the Sharks, Steel and Stags.

“Splash Palace has been a supporter of the Sharks for a number of seasons, so it’s great to be able to leverage this sponsorship and give something back to the community.”

The competition will run from 19 June – 26 June and winners will be contacted directly on Thursday 27 June. Competition terms and conditions can be found here: https://icc.govt.nz/splashpalace/