Wow, what a strange year this has turned out to be. It was great to see the team back for their second season and to welcome a few new eager, and evidently handy players! There was certainly a buzz amongst the team to all be back out on the field together at practice and games. The skills and enthusiasm had certainly stepped up over the offseason and during pre-season lockdown drills.

After a few games, the team was starting to play really well together, all with a hunger for the ball and commitment to the rips. It was great to see turnovers from targeted rips adding to the full field tries! We even had a couple of instances where the opposition defenders were tactically drawn in and the ball passed before the rip for a quick team try. I was especially pleased with the way the team were covering the field, closing the gaps, and marking the opposition. Sadly, just as we were building momentum the season was cut short, I guess we are thankful for the opportunity to play at all.

As short as the season was, I was really proud to coach J7 Black. I’d like to thank the team Manager Lou Haira, expert field set out Manager Mike Haira for his 6 am starts, the support from the parents, and all the effort from the Junior Committee that really make the Cote a fantastic community.

On to tackle next season!