Junior Dolphin News

THERE are plenty of exciting things coming up like the New Year's festivities, an even greater rugby league season and January is the time to start looking at early preparations for our fantastic year of footy. Sign-on day for the Redcliffe Dolphin Juniors will be Sunday, February 11. It will be conducted at Dolphin Oval and run from 9.30am to noon. All ages will be signed up at that time, from under sevens to under 18s. In the youngest age group, players must be turning six at least during 2007. All new players to the club must bring proof of birth date to sign-on ... that is birth certificate, birth extract or passport. Sign-on has been kept at the same fee as last season, $45 per player, which will include an updated new style Dolphins club polo shirt. By sign-on day the promotion of the Dolphins Week of League will have been conducted throughout the schools in the district and our eager rugby league youngsters will be raring to go. Trials are no longer scheduled with the South East Division Juniors introducing the Allans Tiles Challenge rounds starting from the weekend of March 4 and running through until the SEDJ-Luxury Paints Premiership competition gets under way on the weekend of April 22. With the early season heat a concern, it is an acceptable move by the SEDJ to defer games to a later starting time. Redcliffe under 14,15 and 16 squads will be playing exhibition/development games against Northern Rivers (NSW) at Cudgen on the final weekend of February, with the games starting after 4pm. Training for these age groups will start this month and any players wishing to participate in these games should contact Grant Cleal after January 8 on 3203 7333. COACHES for the Redcliffe Dolphins junior teams are all but finalised, with some coaching opportunities still available in the under seven to under 12 age groups. Development officer Grant Cleal would be happy to hear from persons interested in taking up a junior coach role with the Dolphins and you can contact him on the above number. To provide the best possible support for our footballers, there have been a variety of courses planned to properly equip and qualify our coaching personnel. Modified games coach course is for coaches of the teams in the under seven to 12 age groups only and will be held at a local venue on Saturday, February 17 from 8.30am to 4.30pm. This course is ideal for coaches or prospective coaches of our mini and mid footy players and gives valuable instruction on the requirements to begin a coaching experience. Nominations close with Grant on February 1. Club coach course is for coaches, or those wanting to coach, in the under 13 to open age teams and is scheduled to run on February 17-18 with the local venue still to be advised. This course is also ideal for any person wanting to start as an assistant to a qualified coach, part of gaining invaluable knowledge to take on a role as coach in the future. Nominations close with Grant on February 1. A first aid course is for anyone wishing to provide qualified assistance to our Dolphin junior teams and is set down for the February 19, 21, 24 and 26 with a local venue to be confirmed. It will be a recommendation by the Dolphins club that each junior team should endeavour to nominate a person to undertake the FAO course. Nominations close with Grant on February 2. League Safe course is for any person acting in a trainer/water runner role with a team and is to be an ARL/QRL compulsory requirement for any person entering the field of play. This course is scheduled for March 10 and will be conducted at the Broncos Leagues Club, Red Hill, from 8.30am to 11.30am. Nominations for the above course must be advised to Grant by February 27 and all courses will be conducted by staff and lecturers appointed by the Queensland Rugby League-South East Division. For nomination forms and all inquiries regarding these courses, please contact Grant on 3203 7333 or email to grant@redcliffeleagues.com.au and your opportunity to help produce rugby league's future champions may very well begin. Before any of the 2007 season games begin, the Dolphins will need the support of people wanting to experience the challenges of refereeing rugby league. Last season, we had colossal response from our call for referees, with a total of 13 existing and new refs registered, which created a record for our club. Some of those referees are graduating to higher grades and the Dolphins need at least six new recruits to enable games to be played. It is a case of no referee - no game. Help our youngest brigade of budding junior footballers enjoy their sport by contacting Brian Winney on 3203 7333 or email to bwinney@optusnet.com.au and find out how easy it is to become part of the Fun-Friendship-Fitness team with the Dolphins!