Junior Sports

Junior Rugby at Nagle Park

   Recently I travelled to Nagle Park Marouba to watch both junior Rugby and Netbal.  The rugy matches were played on a large open field where there were upwards of 5 games being played.  It was mostly young boys.  I was intrigued by the aggressiveness between the the teams.  Back in Boston I work at a summer day camp where I have a "tribe" of 20 ten-year olds -very similar to the age of the boys playing rugby.  At the camp, no physical sports are allowed to be played and competition is weak.  Their motto is to "have fun in a safe environment" and "enjoying the game is more important than winning or losing."  This upsets me because I grew up a very competitive kid and was have been forced to condone that same fiery spirit in my campers.  The junior rugby games for me brought back a traditional form of sport that is becoming less and less in the United States.
    Surprisingly, parents were very calm and talkative.  I expected them to be aggressive with the opposing teams parents but nothing really prevailed.  Again, if kids were being thrown down by each other in the States, parents would be causing a ruck-us.    

  After about an hour, we moved toward the Netball courts to watch young girls play the sport.  It took me a little while to pick up the rules but it wasn't too hard.  I was very impressed with the girl's "hands" - that is, their ability to catch the ball.  One girl was making catches over her head, on the run, and just about everywhere on the court.  Clearly, the girls take the sport pretty seriously.  It was a little strange to see people shooting at a basket with no backboard; however, the concept of shooting the ball into the net is extremely similar to basketball in the States.
      Overall, Nagle Park was quite the complex.  The park offered plenty of food and beverages while the games were being played.  The experience showed me that junior sport in Australia is bountiful and provides a fun and exciting atmosphere.