By JOLENE OGLE
SOME 14 local rugby league players have just arrived home after an eye-opening visit to the home of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL team.
The Noosa Pirates players in the under-14, under-15 and under-17 teams spent four days learning all about life as a professional rugby player from former Pirates player now Bulldogs’ five-eighth, Moses Mbye.
The players were treated to talks from some of the people behind-the-scenes of an NRL team, including a performance coach, and how trainers use sports science to improve performance.
Pirates committee member Tony Rutledge said it was a real “eye-opener” for the team as they learnt how complicated preparation and recovery can be.
“During our visit to the Bulldogs one of their sports scientists spoke to us about the use of GPS systems, accelorometers, diets, supplements and the timing of their use,” he said.
“This is another area that was a real eye-opener for the boys because, as was explained to them, there are far more people working behind the scenes of an NRL team than there are players and it made them realise there are career opportunities in professional sport apart from being the competitor.”
Mr Rutledge said it was the responsibility of a junior sporting club to show the young players there was a lot of opportunity out there.
“Noosa is a great place to grow up but there is very little opportunity for careers here and they are easily led down the wrong path if they feel there are no options,” he said.
Noosa Pirates under-15 coach John Wilson said the trip was “excellent” and he hoped the teams could go on more in the future.
“We’re hoping we can make this a yearly thing with three-day training camps with the Bulldogs,” he said.
“It’s great because the guys can see what it takes to be an NRL player.”
The Pirates players work hard every week on the field, but the boys kicked into overdrive to get their dream trip to Sydney spending four weeks fund-raising relentlessly to raise over $4000 for the trip.
“We want to thank the staff and patrons at Noosa Golf Course who supported us, as well as the IGAs at Cooroy and Pomona and the Eumundi Markets, who allowed us to hold sausage sizzles,” Mr Rutledge said.
