🏈Message from Group 9 Juniors Chairman – Nick Hall 🏈

Welcome to season 2018

I am writing this quick note to welcome you all to this new season and wish you luck and enjoyment for the upcoming season.

I know you have been working hard as individuals and teams and are hoping for the best.

This weekend is only the start and I ask you to remember that it is a long season. Your season does not hinge on this weekend and it is the players and teams that keep calm and work together for the entire year that will have the most fun.

I think we all had a very powerful example recently with the Australian Cricket team of how a win at all costs mentality can poison good people’s judgement and easily a quick thought can turn into a negative action. Let’s make sure we look out for each other and reward positive behaviour and play. Please teach our kids to play with respect for themselves, their teammates and opposition and most importantly the game. This is the place we teach our kids to handle those decisions later in life.

The friends and shared experiences I had in the game are my best memories. I am a very competitive person and play to win, but I don’t play only to win. There is so much more we can get out of our involvement as far as friends, fun, plenty of good habits and lessons.

Please remember as coaches and parents that junior sport is where we expose our kids to not only our game, but our behaviour, our ideas and examples. You need to handle losses or dissapointments and refocus. You need to communicate with coaches and parents with respect, no matter what the situation. Our kids are watching. We all need to support our refs no matter what.

We have big numbers in some ages and teams and we have some shifting numbers in some ages and so it often takes a week or two to settle into it. Parents, coaches and clubs need to be communicating to maximise our experience. I’m specifically thinking of match scheduling and the need in some ages to play an extra match or half match whenever possible to get more footy for our sides with big numbers. This can’t happen every week due to various scheduling issues, but with communication and empathy it can happen.

Some of my comments are very easy to say and I’m sure are feelings you share. Please remember you share these feelings when the opportunity to behave badly arrives this year. Our kids are watching.

I encourage you all to jump into canteen and bbq duty as well as setting up and packing up fields. Being an active member of your club enhances the enjoyment and is fundamental to the future of your club. It’s your turn, like your parents and mentors did before you; don’t miss the boat.

Feel free to contact me if you have ideas and I will welcome you to the fold. Most importantly I ask you all to communicate. It makes teams work as well as everything else.

Nick Hall

Director – Chairman
Group 9 Junior Rugby League
0437 665 280