Tigers juniors have a blast on trip to tournament
Lions grant scheme a welcome windfall
Tigers Rugby League looks after its players from the smallest to its premiers, knowing that given time and training the former will become the latter.
So it was that on Friday, September 30, 33 tamariki aged 10 and 11 with whanau travelled to play in the Whakatane Junior League Tournament over the weekend returning Monday, October 3.
It is a major cost to send so many for such an experience and Tigers applied to Dannevirke Host Lions through its grants scheme for help which was successful. The Lions donated $7000 towards travel costs, accommodation and food.
Setting off from The Hub in freshly designed new uniforms paid for by whanau, the team had high expectations of six exciting games each for the 10-year-old team coached by Anaru Te Ture and the 11-year-olds coached by Sydney Te Ture.
Staying at Ruatoki Ohutu Marae, the players were excited to get out and play but the weather gods had other ideas. On Saturday in pouring rain the two teams did indeed play their allotted three games each and “had a lifetime experience”, in the words of one of the parents.
Sunday was a different story with torrential rain washing out day two play and even blocking access due to flood waters around the marae.
But the tamariki and whanau did manage to sightsee in town and enjoy what it had to offer. They had a whale of a time just being together away from home.
Dannevirke Lions spokesperson Rosemary Moss said helping fund an experience like this is exactly what the Lions Den is about — returning money from the community back to the community. More donations and applications for funds would be welcome.
An application can be emailed out either as a PDF or DOC to: secretary@lionsdannevirke.co.nz or a hard copy posted. For any queries phone Steve 027 270 6405.