For the last three years, Sentinel Homes has been proud to partner with Hockey New Zealand. It started when we sponsored the finals of the Women’s Hockey World League played here in NZ. The partnership worked so well that we’ve kept it going – we now sponsor the FIH Pro League, hockey’s answer to Super Rugby, but played by national teams.
Managing Director Stuart Shutt says, “It’s gone really well. The games are amazing, with great atmosphere.”
While building homes and running around hockey turfs don’t seem to have that much in common, below the surface there’s plenty that aligns our two organisations.
Sentinel Homes is run by separate business owners operating their own franchises, but the thing that makes us a bit different is how much we support each other. We know that working together delivers the best outcome for our clients – and for our business. On and off the field, that’s what Hockey NZ is all about, too. The Vantage Black Sticks teams obviously know the value of working together, and that spirit of teamwork is also reflected in the organisation.
Hockey NZ’s GM of Marketing and Brands Paul Scoringe says he sees that thread of teamwork running through our business, too.
“All the decisions I’ve seen them make are in a team environment. They approach things as a team because they know they’re only as strong as their weakest link. We see that in our business too – to be able to perform at your highest, you need that alignment between the whole team. Sentinel Homes is successful because of that, and we are too,” says Paul.
Family in all its forms is incredibly important to us – it’s part of why we support Parenting Place. Hockey in NZ is a sport that’s uniquely family oriented – and Hockey NZ works hard to keep it that way.
“We have kids and great-grandparents getting to play together. We don’t seem to get the same sort of drop-offs as other sports, because it’s so accessible, and we have lots of people coming back at an adult level. Everything we do supports that family focus – Black Sticks matches and our national tournament ticket prices are kept affordable, we time games to suit families and the content and marketing are very family oriented,” says Paul.
Doing what’s right for its own sake – it’s at the heart of our business, and something we hear a lot from our clients. That deep-rooted integrity is obvious at Hockey NZ, too.
As Stu says, “They’re straight shooters. They have integrity and deliver what they’re going to deliver. I love that.”
“We have very open, honest and robust conversations with Sentinel Homes – they’re part of our inner circle,” says Paul.
Along the same lines, keeping communication open is key to our business – and to Hockey NZ’s.
Paul says it’s part of why he engaged with Sentinel Homes when he was himself looking into building.
“It’s because I really believe I can trust these people. Lots of companies talk about trust, but I know, from my interactions with them at multiple levels of the business, that I can look them in the eye and believe they’re telling the truth,” he says.
We’re not a group home builder – we’re a bunch of builders who want to make it easier for Kiwis to build quality from the ground up. Hockey NZ also supports the sport at a grassroots level – supporting young players to have fun and improve their game.
As Paul explains, “The Black Sticks are the tip of the iceberg. Hockey has had nine consecutive years of growth – for team sports, that’s pretty rare. Our membership is over 80,000 players now, so when you add in parents, grandparents and friends, hockey has a massive community right across the country. Our growth in some areas is restricted by the availability of facilities, so we are also looking at different ways we can deliver the sport.”
With 14 franchises around NZ, you’ll find Sentinel Homes everywhere – and there’s hockey there too. NZ Hockey has 32 associations, and around 400 clubs all over the country. That national reach makes this sport one for all New Zealanders – and one we’re really proud to be behind
Find out more about the FIH Pro League 2020 presented by Sentinel Homes here: http://hockeynz.co.nz/2020-fih-pro-league/
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