Blacktown City Independent BCI 33 January 2024 | Page 20

Pasifika Cup Rugby Union competition

with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
Western Sydney is home to a diverse range of nationalities and cultures ; it is this mixing bowl which helps make the fabric of the community . All are very proud of their heritage . The Polynesian culture makes up a huge part of this culture and their presence is well known in the sporting landscape .
In particular , on the back of the recent success of the Penrith Panthers who have
Samoan Girls Pasifika Cup Team 2023 . Credit : Pasifika Youth Cup .
won three premierships in a row with players such as Jarome Luai , Stephen Crichton , and Brian To ’ o as well as many proud Polynesians representing the area with pride .
Well step up the new kids on the block in the world of rugby union when teams of girls representing their heritage in the under 14s , under 16s and under 18s , and boys in the under 14s , under 15s , under 16s and under 18s .
They recently got together to represent teams from NSW Samoa Junior Rugby Union , NSW Tonga Sports Association , NSW Fijian Juniors Inc ., NSW Maori teams , Koori Rugby , Cook Islands Rugby Union NSW and a Barbarians side represented their heritage in a showcase rugby event at Whalan Reserve from 24 November to 26 November .
These young guys and girls are the future of rugby and rugby league in the nation of heritage , as well as potentially being future rugby stars for the Australian Wallaroos women ’ s rugby team and the Wallabies men ’ s team .
They put on a show of some proportions as the west shone and showed the rest of Australian rugby and the rugby league world just what talent is coming out of this massive nursery in western Sydney .
Thousands of people flocked to Whalan Reserve , and they were not disappointed . These young kids are the best of the best and many are playing in academy squads now with NSW Waratahs and ACT Brumbies . Many more are in NRL development squads or are in the sights of professional rugby and rugby league franchises in Australia and overseas .
These talented athletes represented their heritage nations with distinction and showed the broader community that rugby is far from dead , and that in fact many of the talented players we will see in the future in Super Rugby , Super W , Sevens Rugby , international rugby , the NRL and NRLW will in fact come out of this playing group .
It is the future of rugby in the country , and if the players are ignored , we may miss the opportunity to see some of the best players in Australian rugby plying
Pasifika Youth Cup 2023 . Credit : Pasifika Youth Cup .
their trade . Many of these kids are in the elite GPS system . They are playing at the highest level available against the best players in their respective age groups .
The slick backline moves , polished ball skills and high level of professionalism and athleticism ticks all the right boxes in a world where opportunities are bountiful for the best of the best .
It is a privilege to be able to see these talented youngsters on display plying their trade in the game they love .

Super 6 Blacktown City Youth Games

with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
Everyone that plays sports aspires to be the best ; that ’ s what drives you in the world of sport . You want to be the best you can be and being a champion is the absolute best thing for sports people . Super 6 High Performance has been built on providing opportunities for athletes of all levels , but focuses on helping athletes reach elite high performance levels .
The founder , Carl Jennings would know about elite high performance . Carl was in charge at Leeds United , Bradford Bulls , Canberra Raiders , Penrith Panthers and NZ Warriors . He knows what he ’ s talking about and what it takes to make it .
Carl brought in an elite former professional athlete , Luke Lewis , who has been there at the highest levels
Super 6 High Performance team . Credit : Super 6 High Performance
representing Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks . He played Rugby League for NSW in 17 matches and Australia in 16 test matches . He also won two premierships , one with Penrith in 2003 early in his career and later in 2016 with Cronulla . Here he won the Clive Churchill Medal for the player of the Grand Final . They both epitomise elite high performance .
So when Super 6 High Performance advertised that they are running the Blacktown City Youth Games at Blacktown International Sports Park in March next year , people stand up and take note . One of the Youth Games ’ six disciplines will be the introduction to throw an American Gridiron football for distance and accuracy .
This will be highlighted as a talent identification exercise to find Australia ’ s quarterback for the Men and Women ’ s 2028 Flag Football Olympic Team .
The Youth Games partnership with Gridiron Australia is unique as it combines a Youth Games discipline with the Hunt for Olympic Flag Football Quarterbacks for the 2028 Games .
Australian Flag Football Hunts for quarterbacks . The announcement that Flag Football will be an Olympic Sport in the 2028 LA Games has launched Gridiron Australia into action . A critical piece and player for the Men ’ s and Women ’ s Flag Football Olympic teams is the Quarterback and Gridiron Australia is out to find the
next ‘ Tom Bradys ’.
Earlier in 2023 Carl Jennings , founder of Super 6 High Performance , combined with Gridiron Australia for a tackle football Talent ID program called ‘ The Search ’, a nationwide NFL style combine tour , which included western Sydney . The Search has already secured multiple football scholarships to attend university in the USA .
The NFL is a serious business . There are 32 clubs who turned over US $ 18.6 Billion in 2022 . Even in the NFL League which is the feeder to the NFL generated US $ 1.88 Billion in 2022 .
Australia has a strong affiliation with the NFL as well . Jordan Mailata who is 201cm and 166kg plays as an offensive tackle with Super Bowl runners up Philadelphia Eagles , hails from Bankstown . He is on a four year , US $ 64 million deal with US $ 40.85 million guaranteed .
That is huge money , particularly for a 26-year-old .
We have also had Jesse , The Monstar , Williams play in the NFL and win a Super Bowl ring with Seattle Seahawks in 2013 . The Monstar has been in Australia looking for elite athletes who may have the ability to make it to the big time . Gridiron Australia CEO Wade Kell stated , “ Australian athletes are built for Flag Football .”
“ Speed , agility and catching a ball is AFL , Netball , Basketball , League , Union , Oztag and Touch . But throwing an
Super 6 Blacktown Youth Games . Credit : Super 6 High Performance .
American football is a unique skill and not often taught in the Australian sport landscape . I ’ m excited to see the talent of western Sydney take the opportunity to become our next Australian Male and Female Olympic Quarterbacks .”
It is a brilliant opportunity for all boys and girls to showcase their skills and see who the best of the best is in Blacktown , and maybe make the Australian Flag Football Olympic team in the process .
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