Page 14 - Ed2 League Lens Draft 3
P. 14
A NEW BREED OF PONIES
They’re the talk of the town in at the quality of a top side “Four girls showed up to the
central Auckland, a new herd coach, but I’m doing the best I first training, only three the
of Ponies from Ponsonby have can.” next, but it started building
been training to enter the after that,” Briggs said.
Farrelly Photos Women’s
Premiership this season. As a regular Crown Lift Trucks
Sharman Cup player last “It was an expression of
season, he is undecided if he personal interest, I pitched the
Rugby league couple, Dion will play this year, but holds a idea to people that they were
Briggs and Kimi Muriwai, have strong love for his junior club playing for a fresh team, then
taken on the role of team more numbers started showing
coach and manager. up through word of mouth,
“You can have all the stars now we have over 25 girls, it’s
in the world, but if the so good!”
With Dion among a number of
Ponsonby juniors who made culture is not there, the
the decision to return to the girls don’t get along and it’s His partner Kimi played last
club last year, following not a positive environment, season for Pt Chevalier and
lengthy stints with other then you’re just not going jumped on board, recognising
Auckland sides, he was get anywhere.” it as an opportunity to grow
motivated to take on the the club, and work alongside
coaching role. and rugby league, so pitching a her partner.
new team was his way of
“We thought we should start a staying involved. “Ponsonby was one of the first
women’s team because we women’s teams in the
want the club to be He must be doing something competition, so it’s cool we
constitutional (the ARL has right, as the response to pre- are able to re-establish it
certain team requirements season trainings has seen the again,” Kimi said.
designed to help grow the squad grow rapidly within
game), so I put my hand up to weeks. By 6.30pm sharp, a
coach,” he said. fully booted squad, enough to “I knew a few girls that would
come along, and seeing as I
fill two teams, are ready to can’t play this year, the next
“I’ve never coached before, train, on time, before fitness best thing was to manage, it’s
this is my first time, I go by penalties are applied. a new challenge for us as a
what I know from playing, my couple.”
knowledge from football isn’t
