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Raiders’ Premier team hit the ground running at their training on June 9. Their new coach is Brent Blackburn (Blackie). Junior players at Silverdale Rugby Club were “fizzing” at their first training of the season this month.
The flag went up for winter sport training this month, and local teams wasted no time getting out on the fields and courts.
With seasons cut short, teams are keen to make the most of the time available. Silverdale United Rugby Club’s chair Chris Carter says the 2020 season will be 12, instead of 16 weekends long, followed by tournaments in other parts of the country. Competition for the club’s senior teams begins this week, and on June 27 for juniors.
Coaches and parents of Silverdale’s junior teams say the kids are “fizzing” to be back doing something physical, with their mates.
Hibiscus Coast Raiders re-commenced training on June 4. Team manager Paul Davis says the season has been cut short by about half a dozen games but he sees this as a bonus. “We traditionally struggle for depth as injuries take their toll,” he says. “The shortened season only helps this.”
Hibiscus Coast AFC’s more than 70 teams began training a few weeks ago, initially in groups of 10 or less but are now out in force. The club’s first pre-season games started last weekend at North Harbour Stadium.
The enthusiasm among players in the winter codes is palpable. However, many clubs expect to face challenges as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions, particularly with sponsorship as corporate money is tight. Less lead in time to competition also has the potential for a greater injury count, so managers, coaches and players see these early trainings as particularly important.
