ABOUT
OSSSA 

Purpose

OSSSA AIMS

  1. Opportunities & Experiences – School sport opportunities and pathways across Otago provide positive experiences for students and schools - encouraging participation, competition, personal achievement, and fostering school pride.

  2. Systems & Strategy – Effective strategy drives strong governance, leadership, and systems built on fairness and integrity. OSSSA advocates for and enables a capable school sport workforce (school sport staff, coaches, officials, and volunteers) while securing sustainable resources to deliver quality sport across Otago.

  3. Connecting & Collaborating – OSSSA connects, collaborates, and advocates across Otago’s school and sport communities to achieve the best possible outcomes for students. We champion the value of school sport within education, supporting strong partnerships, shared leadership, and clear communication across the region.

VALUES 

Evident in Otago Secondary School Sport as: 

  • Enjoyment: Students experiencing enjoyment through positive school sport, having fun, and fostering school pride.  

  • Inclusion: Equitable access to sport opportunities that reflect the diverse needs, backgrounds, and aspirations of all Otago students.  

  • Achievement: Students pursuing and celebrating personal and collective sporting goals, from participation to performance. 

  • Collaboration: Strong connection between schools, sport providers, and communities that empower quality sport experiences across the region. 

History

The position of Otago Regional Sports Director was established in 1993 as an initiative of the Otago Secondary Schools Principals Association (OSSPA). The scope of activities undertaken by the office grew significantly in the early years, which resulted in the formation of the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association Incorporated (OSSSA) in 1998. This association acts as the Management Committee for the Otago Regional Sports Director. 

The Otago Regional Sports Director is one of seventeen Regional Sports Directors nationally. In most cases the Regional Sports Directors positions were established as part of their local Regional Sports Trust. Over time the OSSSA has either held the full Sportfit contract with SPARC (formerly the Hillary Commission and now Sport New Zealand), or it has shared the contract with Sport Otago. This changed to Sport New Zealand directly funding OSSSA. 

OSSSA VISION: 

"Otago Secondary School students active, engaged, and included through school sport"