Sport
30 August, 2023
Ten junior Snakes teams ready for grand final action
The Caboolture Snakes will be strongly represented in this Saturday’s Sunshine Coast Junior Rugby League (SCJRL) grand final day at the Coolum-based Ronnie Cargill Oval.
Ten Snakes teams will take part as the club has teams in the U13, U14, U15 and U17 age groups.
The club’s president Nate Findlay said this year was a turnaround for the club after last year was impacted by the February floods, in addition to clubhouse structural issues.
“It’s great to see all the teams playing good footy but more importantly enjoying their footy,” he said.
Findlay said last year the Snakes improved the coaching recruitment process, especially for the age groups from U13 and older.
“The culture at the club has improved significantly, especially in 2023 being a more ethnic and diversity inclusiveness club than before,” he said.
“Exposure for the club has been another positive impact, having been involved in several community events such as Strength In Community Day, NAIDOC Flag Raising Ceremony, Culture Kings grand opening of our basketball court, and the latest being Caboolture’s Family Fun Day with Christmas Carols in the Park coming up next.
“Our players get to interact with the community and represent the club, all for the love of it.”
Findlay also noted that the club was a finalist in the 2023 QRL Volunteer Awards, nominated for Community Club of the year.
“Volunteers have been fantastic this year with bigger buy-in than before,” he said.
“With over 150 registered at the club, it makes it so much easier on game days.”
Findlay said there were more reasons why the Snakes had had a successful year, while the “short of it” was that “the kids are just enjoying their footy”.
“I feel the culture we have at the club, we are a really good support group introducing a Club Creed in 2022 that has ‘3 keys to success’: attitude, effort and desire,” he said.
“This holds the players and volunteers accountable and gives them a standard to work from.”
Regardless of the grand final results, Findlay said “100 percent it is” an achievement in itself that 10 junior teams from the one club had made it to grand final day.
“To make it this far with 10 teams left to have a shot at the premiership is a massive achievement for the club and makes me even more excited for next season,” he said.
For the parents, Findlay said the biggest reward was watching the players smile, laugh and enjoy their footy, which may mean when bruised, broken or defeated.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids and their ability to have fun playing the greatest game in the world,” he said.
Caboolture grand final schedule:
U13 Div 1A Snakes v Gympie; U13 Girls A Snakes v Gympie; U13 Div 2B Snakes v Maroochydore; U14 Div 1 Snakes v Kawana; U14 Div 2 Snakes v Gympie; U15 Div 1 Snakes v Caloundra; U15 Div 2 Snakes v Maroochydore; U15 Girls Snakes v Caloundra; U17 Boys Snakes v Kawana; U17 Girls Snakes v Caloundra.
