“When parents are involved and having fun, the kids love it so much more.”
These words, spoken by Baulkham Hills Brumbies Club President Daniel Essey, could easily apply to every parent/child activity. But when it comes to the Brumbies club, such words are not a sentiment, they actually live by them.
This week The Cumberland Throw spoke with Daniel to find out the story behind a club which has developed a reputation for embracing the importance of children participating in sport and encouraging family involvement.
Baulkham Hills Brumbies were originally known as Baulkham Hills Football Club, drawing 90% of their players from St Michael’s Primary and Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School at Baulkham Hills. By the 1990s they adopted the Brumbies name, and now in 2021 they draw players from 26 Public and Catholic schools across the district.
Playing in the Parramatta Junior Rugby League Sunday Competition, their focus is on children’s formative years of rugby league, fielding teams of primary school aged children.
This means mini and mod football, starting with the under 6 age group, and going through to under 11. This year, the Brumbies also entered a team in the open age Primary competition.
For those unaware, mini and mod rugby league is a very safe format of the code, with smaller team numbers, smaller fields, and highly regulated contact. Competition tables don’t kick in until under 9s. It’s a game that permits girls and boys to play in the same teams, and as we see when kids games are featured on NRL match days, the contact is often more akin to a hug.
Clubs that participate in The Parramatta Junior Rugby League Saturday competition don’t play in the Sunday competition, and vice versa. The intent being, a child or a family can choose which day of the weekend best suits them for playing footy.
Scrolling through the Brumbies Facebook page, my attention was drawn to the “plugs” that were given to their rival clubs. When I questioned Daniel about this, he emphasised the collegiate nature of the competition. Clubs or more like mates and assist each other wherever possible.
That’s not to say that there aren’t rivalries or the desire to win. The Brumbies are proud of their multiple Club Championship successes, of making the under 9, 10 and 11 grand finals in 2020, and being declared premiers in the under 10s this year when COVID brought the season to a premature end.
However, it’s the opportunity for children to participate in physical activity with strong family and community support that remains paramount.
As Daniel explains, playing mini and mod footy is “an opportunity to enjoy a sport which is fun, team based, skills based and it’s wonderful for the physical and social development of children – and it’s safe.”
Additionally, the Brumbies are no strangers to the growth of female participation in rugby league, with Daniel letting us know that some of the girls are the gun footballers of their teams. Just quietly, he’s tipping that we might just see a Brumbies player or two running around in the NRLW in a few years.
Speaking about the value of fun and participation Daniel emphasises, “There are so many ways for a child to be rewarded within a Junior Rugby League game – making a tackle, taking a hit up, having a kick for goal. At training, we make a fuss about getting a passing drill right. You can see how that improves their development week on week.”
On the community front, when new families are welcomed to the club they are immediately encouraged to become involved, in everything from training through to match days. Those match days are big family events, and when that happens, the kids love feeling like they are part of something more than just a game.
Yearly special events further reinforce the importance of family to the Brumbies. “Mumbies” is one such event, held around Mothers Day. In the past it’s involved lunches at venues such as the Mean Fiddler and this year the mums had a bus trip to the Hunter Valley.
The fathers aren’t forgotten either, with the post season father/son/daughter camping trip to Del Rio Riverside Resort on the Hawkesbury being an annual event on the calendar. A parents’ evening during the season is another opportunity the club creates for the community to connect.
Daniel stressed how important that connection is to the Brumbies.
“Volunteerism is the heartbeat, it’s the soul of the whole club. The people behind the scenes are the ones who get the jobs done, they are the oil in the engine.”
As an example, one of the dads, Nigel King takes on a multitude of roles. He’s the grounds manager, he’s the coaching coordinator. If the lines need marking, it’s call Nigel, if you need to cover a patch on the ground, call Nigel.
The Brumbies are a certified Blue Shield Club and Gold Medal accredited in the Good Sports Program and once more credit is given to the volunteers. Be it club committees, past and present, or hard-working secretary, Jenny Mejalli, it’s family members stepping up to get something achieved.
Of course, the costs of running a junior club are ever present, and Daniel is very grateful to their core group of sponsors. Parramatta Leagues Club provides a significant annual grant, and Northmead Bowling Club (NBC) have partnered with the Brumbies for a number of years. The list of sponsors also includes Essey Legal, Precise Electronics and Security, Suits Digital, Channel Nine, and West End Mazda.
All of this financial support allows the club to make playing more affordable for families, and makes it possible to provide children with both equipment and merchandise. Recently that meant that every single player was given their own headgear.
Bouncing back from COVID lockdowns, Daniel believes that junior sport, and in Sydney that means junior rugby league clubs, will be playing a critical role.
“There is a need to counter the stagnating development of children, and that means embracing junior sport, in a way like never before. The lockdown has limited what everyone has been able to do. Any deficiencies that may have occurred for children, socially or physically, can be overcome by getting them involved in junior sport.”
Rugby league is a wonderful social organ. Kids make their best mates through the game and through the club.
After getting to know more about the Brumbies, I thought that this testimonial from former NRL player, Frank Puletua, probably epitomises the experience of their community:
“Each season we witness the children thrive in a very supportive development system, and a great team environment, encouraged to be their best at all levels. The Brumbies is much more than a football club…it is more like a family to us.”
Anyone wishing to become involved with Baulkham Hills Brumbies as a player, sponsor or volunteer can make contact via the club’s website www.bhbrumbies.com.au or by email brumbies.jrlfc@gmail.com or you can visit baulkhamhillsbrumbiesjrlfc on Facebook.
Alternatively, the Brumbies encourage families to visit them at Castlewood Reserve, Castlewood Dr, Castle Hill during preseason training.
Our full interview with Daniel Essey will be available in next week’s episode of The Tip Sheet.
Sixties
Our thanks to Daniel for talking with us about the Brumbies.