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Hibiscus Coast Raiders Rugby League Club chair Seth Gleeson’s presentation to the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board meeting last month focused on strong growth in the club, and the need to improve its facilities to cope.
That growth includes a rise in the number of female players, and Gleeson says the club’s toilets need refurbishing and the changing sheds on its Stanmore Bay grounds are old and not really suitable for mixed genders.
Gleeson says fixing those things is a priority for the club, it has facilities that can be used by everyone.
“We are also approaching groups such as Plunket who may be interested in hiring our facility, to bring in more income,” “Again, women’s facilities are key.”
Two of the club’s 12 teams (U16 and U18) are women’s teams. The club also has young girls and women, aged from four years to adults, in mixed teams. In a couple of years, Raiders hopes to have a women’s senior team, as well as growing participation through all age groups.
Auckland Rugby League’s (ARL) Duane Mann, who presented alongside Gleeson, said that Raiders is a significant club for Auckland, and had a strong community focus.
Board member Jake Law suggested the club apply for a facilities grant to help update its toilets and changing rooms and member Julia Parfitt said she hoped the local board could meet with ARL representatives to discuss the matter, noting that the ARL “has fairly deep pockets”.
“There is growth in the game, but players are having to go further afield,” she said. “Raiders needs to provide for growth in its own catchment.”
Mann said ARL would welcome those discussions with the local board, however he said money alone won’t solve the issue.
“We are not looking for a handout,” he said. “These things need to be solved collaboratively. People want to play locally, so barriers such as travel are important factors. We want to also work with the colleges, and are keen to look at the whole picture alongside the local board.”
