It was fairly accurate to say I had never
really watched a match of rugby when a clipboard was thrust into my hands,
months ago.
“Can
you please manage the Under 10 G-Grade?” A
desperate looking woman asked me. Under normal circumstances I would have
refereed to the pile of excuses I bank in my brain to get out of stuff, but
alas the cable must have come loose, and I found myself saying…. “Ok…”
She then went onto inform me that this
particular team did not have a coach, and that if I was willing to go and
complete a course, I could also have that role.
The answer to that came out very quickly. Absolutely not.
The team was a rag-tag group of young men,
but we lacked the numbers to qualify for the competition. This was a problem.
A group on under 9 enthusiastic players
held their hand ups to play with us, and then 2 of the Dad’s stepped forward to
co-coach, and that is how the Ducks came to be.
Early on, during training, I walked past a
group of very accomplished players and overhead their coach saying….
“You
are not the Ducks. You are the A’s. Play like the best team in the age group.”
And with that, I re-christened our team THE
MIGHTY DUCKS, and much like the 1992 film of the same name, I just knew we were
at the start of an amazing journey.
A
journey that started with an impressive streak of losses.
And while the backs did cartwheels on the
field while the forwards picked their noses, Mr. Walsh and Mr. Hutton never
gave up on our little Ducks. Training continued to be punishing, with many an
online fight between the three of us whether it was too cold and miserable to
get out on the field.
Week after week saw slight improvements,
and then we recruited young Rosie into the team, fondly referring her to as The
Ferrari on the Wing, as a reflection of her speed and quiet brilliance.
The losing streak ended and a short
“drawing streak” began, and then, out of nowhere, The Mighty Ducks started to
win.
Roaring up the table like the latest Lady
Gaga single, we found ourselves, after much investigation and questioning, in
the top 4 at the end of the season!
We sent Mosman packing in the third last
round and faced the competition favorites in the preliminary final. Last time we faced them, it was complete
Armageddon. About 40 points.
It tuned out to be our last match. But we
played it like it was the final. And as the final horn went, we had one last
chance to score our season ending try.
And that is when the Mighty Ducks lifted;
with everything they had been taught over the last few months. And watching
Rosie race through, and put that ball over our try line, the dozens and dozens
of collected Mighty Ducks Fans cheers and jumped and (may have wet their pants slightly)
like we had taken out the World Cup.
We
lost that match. But to us we won.
Thank you to all of the Duck Believers, the
parents and fans, the volunteers who washed jerseys and cut oranges. The
linesmen and marshals and those who bought wine, cheese and mini-quiches. It
was more than often the highlight of my weekend.
And to our Ducks, our little ducking’s who
fought so hard. You have been a complete treasure to be a part of.
One of the coaches emailed me after this morning's game and well, I could not have said it better….
“I
think the best thing is when the unexpected turns out to be something magic,
and that’s what this team and season was.”
Quack indeed.
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| See you next time, Pirates..... |
