For the first few weeks our J8 Maroon team seemed to grow and grow as new players joined us and were welcomed into the team by the tamariki each week. Steffan Robertson and Forsyth Thompson took up the challenge of coaching the team, supported by Caroline Agavale as manager, and were able to create a happy team that had heaps of fun, displayed fair play, and had a real sense of community and pride in their team and club.

The season started with lots of cheering and encouragement from the sidelines as players tried to determine which direction to run in, with varying degrees of success! As the weeks progressed, it was wonderful to see how quickly the skills learned in training on Friday afternoons were put into practice on Saturday mornings. From the early-season chaos and hilarity, J8 Maroon finished the season by completing full sets of rips and making genuine passes to support runners, resulting in tries!

The beauty of our team was that everyone had something special to add. We had incredible defenders, great ball runners, some sidestep specialists, key decoy players who distracted/confused the opposition, and kind and considerate players who showed Cote spirit and looked after those who were feeling a bit shy or confused.

A huge thanks to our coaches, manager, players and their supportive whānau for what has been an absolutely fantastic learning experience.

Can't wait till next season!