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Regardless of the work senior sides carry out for 80 minutes on a Saturday afternoon, arguably any rugby club can be judged on the merits of its mini and junior section.
Who is richer? A club that has just one senior side full of paid mercenaries flying at the summit of a league, or a side in the same league floundering at the foot of the table but with 200 or so players in their mini and junior section?
Of course winning is always preferable, but if there is a void or a gaping abyss behind the first team’s achievements, then is that success sustainable? Without getting too misty eyed and pious, the time spent cultivating and nurturing talent within a club’s mini and junior section, sows future success for the club - both on and off the pitches.
The sections are products of the clubs – both literally and figuratively. As is often the case, mini and junior sections are threads that help to weave the fabric of clubs together. Countless hours are given by thousands of club volunteers up and down the land, all geared towards letting young boys and girls play the sport that we all love: parents often volunteer as coaches and get their coaching badges through the years; senior players help out where and when they can. There’ll be fundraisers, fun days and all manner of activities and ventures associated with the minis. There’ll even be touring weekends to enjoy!
ALL SHAPES & ZEBRAS FROM TREORCHY 43