WALLABIES GOALS
The national team visited Miami High last week, giving students a chance to train with the pros and fuelling their passion for rugby GOLD Coast rugby players have had a rare opportunity as the Wallabies made a visit to Miami State High School last week.
Prior to their test match against Argentina at Cbus over the weekend, the team took time out from their schedule to train with the school’s young players.
Miami High’s Rugby 7s coordinator Matt Chapman said he was excited for the players to share their knowledge and inspire the younger generations.
“You should have seen the looks on the kids’ faces when they turned up in their Wallabies training gear,” he said.
“It’s really important for them to have role models, whether it be sport or academic, these are the players they look up to.
“Both boys and girls look up to them because the Wallabies are a fairly iconic brand, so it’s
important that they connect to the schools as well.”
Wallaby stars Adam Coleman, Nick Phipps and Reece Hodge joined their coach Michael Cheika in running drills, leading training and sharing a post-session pep talk.
Students from both the school’s rugby programs were able to attend the event as a chance to meet their heroes and learn some new tricks.
Year 11 student Deniz Ada, 17, started playing rugby three years ago after the school launched its girls’ rugby program.
She said the chance to learn from professional players was inspiring her to stay motivated as she moves forward with the game.
“I think it is important to help guide us through what they went through when they were young,” she said, adding she was excited to learn how the players had gotten to where they are.
“With our rugby team at school we have a really close bond, and I think that’s why I love it so much when we’re all working together.
“It’s such a fast-paced game, seven-minute halves, which helps with me enjoying the game.
“(Seeing the players) helps a lot of us younger ones look up to them and learn from that, rather than just being an individual in a team sport.”
Another student, Lucy Single, told reporters at the event meeting the Wallabies after hoping to make the Gold Coast Cyclones Under 17s team was “like a dream come true”.
“They gave us some cool tips – just being around them makes you want to play rugby professionally,” she said.
“They talked about resilience, how you have to keep pushing, whether it’s after injury or emotions.
“It was a really great experience.
“It was really great to meet them and it gives you hope for the future.”
The session came less than 48 hours before the Wallabies’ much-anticipated clash with Argentina at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina on Saturday night.
Miami High has previously celebrated the success of their Girls Rugby 7s team and now prepares to launch its Girls Rugby 7s Excellence program next year.
The program hopes to provide students with an “Olympic Games pathway” by joining forces with the Queensland Rugby Union and Rugby Australia.
Students who join the program, made up of three classes and multiple out-ofschool sessions, are hoping to become professional players, club managers, qualified referees and sports coaches.
For the players who attended last Thursday’s training, the chance to meet the Wallabies was only the first step on the road to becoming professional rugby players.
Mr Chapman said he hoped to see his students “mix and mingle” with the players, as well as the Wallabies taking a moment to learn from the younger players they’re helping.
“It’s important for them to see how prolific the game is at a school level, and they’ve all come from that school level as well,” he said.
“So they can definitely relate to being at that level.
“It’s a two-way thing. I’m sure they get as much out of it as the students do.”