Aspiring athletes receive welcome boost in program

Children with dreams of playing rugby league have been given a chance to develop their skills in a new junior sports program.

NRL WA and the Broome Touch Association have joined forces to create a combined rug-by league and touch program to teach children the fundamen-tals of touch football and rugby league.

NRL WA game development officer Mitchell Kurtz said the combined program was the first of its kind in WA.

“(NRL WA) started a program for the first time last year with rugby league and it was a big success,” he said.

“Because of that we decided to run a program together with the Broome Touch Association.”

The success of NRL WA’s 2017 program saw three local kids being selected to represent Broome on the North West Reds under-12s rugby league team. Fletcher Moase, Spencer Hall and Judah Te Whaiti will travel to Karratha for an intensive training camp with the rest of the team before flying down to Perth during the school holidays.

A spokesperson for the Broome Touch Association said it was an incredible accomplishment for the three boys to be excelling in rugby league already without a Broome-based association or league behind them.

The Broome Touch Association said the association and NRL WA recognised there was an enormous pool of talent in Broome, but limited opportunities for children to take part in rugby league and touch football.

“The program’s roll-out will not only encourage new participants to get a taste for both sports, but will also offer the support and guidance to the players already showcasing such great potential,” it said.

Mr Kurtz said it was extremely important to have a junior rugby league and touch program.