Page 17 - Ed2 League Lens Draft 3
P. 17
CHAIR’S CORNER - THOMAS HEARD
ARL: It’s your first year as bodies. I don’t think they that sort of thing is the
chair of East Coast Bays, how really understand it’s not just primary goal.
are you finding the role so league, it’s sport, and what
far? sport can teach kids in terms
of self belief and working in a Finally, tell us about your
team, and how to be club sponsors and the people
TH: A little bit daunting. We motivated. who make it possible to run
have got a bit of a difficult rugby league at the East
year ahead of us after finding Coast Bays Barracudas.
out we won’t be able to use And what about major
our main clubrooms for 2018 projects this year, what will
(due to building issues). That’s the club be focussing on? The major junior sponsors are
been a bit of a handful at the Chelsea Diamond Tools and
start of the season, but we’ve Conset Construction. They
got a strategy in place for it. It The last three years we have believe in what we are doing
helps that I have been on the had major sponsors for the at the club and realise that we
committee for five years, so I juniors, which has brought in a want to make better people as
sort of know what the substantial amount of money well as better rugby league
difficulties are and what we which has allowed us to put players. White Line Roofing are
are facing. people through training a new sponsor, they are a local
courses and pathways that are community business and the
available through the Auckland owner is a coach at the club.
What is the biggest issue or Rugby League. So the focus is
challenge facing your club on creating a better training
right now then? environment for not just
coaches and managers, but
Facilities and getting the children, getting them into the
support from council and local JETS Camps, rep programmes,
