JUNIOR SPORT LIFTOUT
GEELONG Rams’ under-12s fell short in their clash with Harlequins on Saturday, but Rams secretary Toby Durden says the club couldn’t be more pleased with how its junior program is going.
The Corio-based club boasts under6, under-8, under-9 and under-12 teams, as well as a composite under-14 side with a club in Newport and its own under-16 team, with Durden describing the numbers as some of the best the club has seen.
“For the first time in many years we’ve got healthy numbers across all of those age groups,” he said. “Really healthy, positive numbers and there’s a real sense of community that’s being built across the club, which is great.
“Certainly a lot of our growth and a lot of the new members have come from people who aren’t familiar with rugby at all.
“Some of them are migrants, some of them have seen us playing and training out in Corio and they see it as an opportunity for their kids to get involved and do some sport. The club’s been really happy to embrace that and to offer subsidised fees that will enable their kids to be able to participate.”
Durden said a lot of new kids followed their school friends to the club. “The traditional families have played forever and their kids have grown up with it but the growth we’re seeing is from families that don’t necessarily have a rugby background, which is good for us,” he said.
“I think a lot of it is through friends through school and the other part is the growing sense of community in the club; that applies to both the parents and the kids.”
Rugby Union is a sport for all shapes and sizes.
“Everyone on the field has a job and an opportunity to play,” Durden said.
“You don’t need to be the fastest or the biggest and we try to ensure everyone has that opportunity for sure.”
SOME OF THEM ARE MIGRANTS, SOME OF THEM HAVE SEEN US PLAYING AND TRAINING OUT IN CORIO AND THEY SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR KIDS TO GET INVOLVED AND DO SOME SPORT.
RAMS SECRETARY TOBY DURDEN