Junior league comes to Palmwoods District
New club calls for sponsors

PALMWOODS is set to have its own junior rugby league club, with plans well in hand for the new club to get underway in the 1999 season - providing sponsors can be found.

Steering Committee President Jeff Roy and aspiring Palmwoods Junior Rugby League player Beau Whittington shape up for the 1999 season.

The Palmwoods and Western Districts Junior Rugby League Club will be signing up players from under 7s to under 17s in February next year.

Steering Committee President Jeff Roy said the club, which was officially approved in June, needed to confirm sponsorship by early September.

"This club is a first for Palmwoods and will cover Maleny, Mooloolah, Eudlo, Chevallum, Woombye and hinterland districts," he said. "The response has been very positive and there shouldn’t be any problems getting teams together."

In its first year, the club needs $16,000 to run five teams and $24,000 to run all teams from under 7 to under 17.

"If we get the necessary sponsorship we will run all teams," Mr Roy said.

The Palmwoods Devils Juniors will wear red and black with the Devils logo and will be based at Briggs Park in Palmwoods.

Mr Roy said the Palmwoods District needed its own junior league team as many young players were now travelling out of town.

"If kids aren’t going to play here, they are going to go further afield which they have had to do in the past," he said. "We need to keep clubs local and close to home."

He said the club had received a positive response and tremendous support from the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast Rugby League associations.

"We’ve have had to be a little careful that we didn’t tread on any toes in other clubs, but everyone has been bending over backwards just to get us in there."

Steering Committee Secretary Kerry Lovekin said girls would also be able to sign on and the club aimed to teach children essential playing skills.

"We are aiming to make this a family club where the children will learn ball skills," she said. "Girls can also sign up but there will be no girls teams as such, so they will be playing with the boys."

She said that along with the other 11 teams in the Junior Rugby League competition, the Palmwoods Devils teams would travel between Gympie and Bribie Island.

The club is seeking volunteer coaches (no certificate necessary) and a coaches co-ordinator with a Level 1 or Level 2 certificate.

"We need to find coaches and would stress that it’s not necessary to have a certificate as there is a one-day certificate course offered to any interested applicants," Mr Roy said.

The Steering Committee meets at the Palmwoods Hotel on the third Tuesday of every month, with the next meeting at 7.30pm on August 18.

Anyone who is able to help with sponsorship or coaching should phone Jeff Roy on 5478 8011 or fax on 5478 8022.