Sunday boost for young players

WARWICK SMITH/The Manawatu Standard

THE SEASON IS NIGH: Hands are for catching as Reed Mitchell, 12, is first receiver with his team-mates waiting on the chain gang at Arena Manawatu.

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Young players are not home-grown by accident in Manawatu.

For each of the next three Sunday mornings, Manawatu assistant coach Bruce Hemara, Turbos staff such as trainers Paul Hamson and Scott Pinfold, and representative players will put up to 300 young players through the finer arts of the game, leading into the season proper.

Up to 300 have registered for the programme, with close to 200 attending the first outing on Sunday.

The children are from clubs and schools throughout the province.

They are divided into groups, under-13s or sophomores, and freshmen in the 11 to 12 years age group.

Clubs nominate players to attend the 2 1/2-hour clinics at Arena Manawatu where they do 16 rotations of exercises.

Hemara said the feedback from clubs and parents in previous years had been overwhelming.

The initiative runs until March 28.

- © Fairfax NZ News