Well, 2020 is the year that everyone wants to forget but for J6 Gold it was the start of their tackle careers.

We regrouped from the crew of 2019 to add a number of newbies to the J6 Gold family. The team was a good mix of confidence with a dab of over excitement and willingness to learn.

For the kids, it was simply about having fun whilst learning the structure of the game. Trying to herd 12 kids in the direction you wanted each week brings its challenges, but as a team, they got there.

What was fantastic about this year whilst short, was the kids who each week just stepped out of the woodwork and as a coach you sat back and went “well where did that come from”. We had the kids who weren’t as confident at tackling in the start to have them cutting the opposition in half sometimes and nailing the tackles to the kids who we hadn’t taught blow overs or clear outs to coming in and taking a textbook approach to it. What made you smile as a coach is those little wins you didn’t expect, the first tackle, first clear out that unexpected first fend and first runaway try.

That is what coaching and being part of a team is about. As a team, we had fun each week and I look forward to taking this team into 2021.

Oh before I forget this team wouldn’t be possible without the help and support of the parents who get the kids to games and training each week, who step up and help run training sessions, refereeing the games, some of the managerial tasks no one wants like team reach and the cheer squad each Saturday on the sideline win, lose or draw.