Young Lions strut their stuff
Each Saturday no fewer than 160 young Woy Woy Lions strut their stuff in the Central Coast Junior Rugby Union competition.
Ages range from under sevens to under 17s.
Woy Woy has three under-seven sides and one each in all but one of the other grades, making the club one of the strongest in the competition.
Home games, played at the picturesque Ettalongl Oval, below Blackwall Mountain, begin at 8am but the ground is a hive of activity from three hours before.
Volunteers erect the official tent along with seats and benches, surround the ground with 400 metres of rope to separate onlookers from the playing area, organise the canteen and barbecue while arranging team sheets, first aid kits and socks and shorts for newcomers.
In the middle of all this is junior president, Ms Sarah Doake-Stride who runs a very busy restaurant, rows surf boats at Killcare and has three boys playing.
(If you want a job done find a busy person).
"I've got a wonderful committee and helpers and just to see the little blokes run around in their kit is worth the effort," Ms Doake-Stride said.
"It's also rewarding that we are very inclusive with kids from private and public schools and indigenous and Polynesian boys as well," she said.
The improvement of players, year by year, is very evident.
The warriors, the thinkers and the sprinters soon emerge.
Each year a number of senior players help coach the various age groups and are greatly appreciated by the youngsters.
This year's under 11s are coached by Feleti Atiola who captained the first grade premiers in 2014.
The club's system is obviously working.
The under 17s were premiers in 2014, the under 16s premiers in 2015 and the 2016 under 17s have no fewer than 10 players in the Central Coast squad.
Ms Doake-Stride summed it up when she said: "There is nothing more exciting than to see a little kid who still needs mum to tie his laces come down to learn, then watch him go through the grades and become a first grader."
Email, 12 May 2016
Peter Fenton, Woy Woy Rugby Union