Northlanders flock to camp as NZRL goes back to its roots

Northland should be congratulated  for its support and organisation of New Zealand Rugby League Community Roots Camp, says  NZRL football manager Tony Kemp.
He had just witnessed more 500 children, part of an estimated 2000 people, venture down to Fishbone Park in Otangarei to check out the venture NZRL started to promote the game to youngsters.
"It is massive and the camp has been very successful up here - well done Northland. We have been all over the country running these camps, and this is the biggest by far. The next biggest was on the West Coast where we had 250 kids and 47 coaches - in Whangarei, we had 500 kids and 50 coaches," Kemp said.
By NZRL representatives becoming more visible in the community and gathering local support, Kemp hoped this type of initiative would drive interest in the game.
Kemp travelled to Whangarei with NZRL national referees co-ordinator Ian Mackintosh, community programmes manager Dain Guttenbeil and administration manager Carmen Taplin to help run a fundamentals coaching and management seminar with Northland coaches, concentrating on the mini and mod system for under-12 year olds.
NZRL's high performance manager Reuben Wiki was also set to attend, but he had returned to Auckland from Australia the previous day with the Warriors, who he helps train.
The day got under way with under-18 club matches - 10 teams travelled down from the Bay of Islands region to take part in the day, along with all the Whangarei clubs.
Junior rugby league chairman Mickey Birchall said the turnout was very  pleasing.
"Ten years ago, Whangarei ran 60 schoolboy teams every Sunday but then, after I had resigned, numbers dropped and the competition fell away.
"I returned to help the school boys make a strong comeback," she said.
"My push is to develop the youngest age groups in the mini and mod competition and teach them the basic skills in a safe environment - and then develop and grow the game from there with the flow on of players moving on to play senior football."
Following the club games and before the coaching seminar, the public could view the World Cup, won by the Kiwis in 2008 - a win which has definitely helped raise the profile of league, and increase numbers wanting to play the game.