Raglan Rugby is fostering grassroots rugby with a new fund to provide more opportunities for young players.
The initiative is the brainchild of new club president Rachel Hudson and has financial support from Raglan Surf Emporium and Alpha Interiors in Hamilton, and she is looking forward to others jumping on board.
Rachel says the fund is ready to roll out this season and hopes it will mean more young people taking up the game.
“What I want to bring to our club is the opportunity for kids to join the game who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to – be it financial issues, family issues or anything that might prohibit them from enjoying the sport.”
Rugby means a lot to Rachel and her whānau, both her boys play for the club. Youngest Louis started when he was five and the eldest Hudson has enjoyed many successes playing for the club including making the Waikato Roller Mills squad for two years in a row and was named Waikato most promising player at the Gwynn shield – this led to a full high school scholarship
“It’s through the club I really learnt what it meant to be a big part of this awesome community. Some of the relationships we forged I still hold to this day. We came back to Raglan because our daughter had some pretty complex special needs and I knew Raglan could hold us and our daughter. What we found was a family at the club.”
The fund will provide petrol vouchers for parents who are able to transport players to games and training, as well as helping with rugby kit and fees.
“I’m very excited to see what we can achieve with this new fund. I just want to see more kids playing our national game.”
In the spirit of helping young players to play rugby, Raglan Rugby is also doing a drive for rugby boots.
For more information about the fund and the boot drive contact Rachel Hudson on 0212784271.
Raglan Rugby Muster – Saturday, February 29 from 10am-1pm and Wednesday, March 4 from 3.30-5pm.
