Shetland
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Shetland
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
S
hetland RFC is a club that has been making plenty of progress in
recent times and enjoyed a fine season last time around. Rugby
Club Magazine recently caught up with Club Representative Leigh-
Anne Sinclair to find out more about how they have been getting along
lately.
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Leigh-Anne told us, “I have been involved with the
Club for approximately ten years. My oldest son, who is
now seventeen started playing when he was seven and
my middle son was five. I have three boys that all play
rugby and they all encouraged me to start playing when
the ladies team started up again six years ago.
“Because I have a few different roles within the Club
- Parent, Player and Secretary they all have different
challenges and rewarding aspects. As a parent it is great
18 Issue 87
to see your children progress through the Club with all
three boys going to the Scottish Mainland to take part in
friendly games. I will soon be accompanying my middle
son on a 7s tour to Paris with the U16 boys and U15 girls
teams. This is the first time the juniors have been away
on a foreign tour. The challenges faced as a parent is
frustration that they don’t get enough games, because
they are not part of a league.
“As a player, the rewards have been great. I’ve made
friends for life within my team. We range from age 18 to
45 all shapes and sizes and get on like a big family. There
aren’t the same cliques I have found in other sports in
Shetland, having played hockey and netball in the past.
We have won the BT Tennents North League twice out
of the three years it has been on the go. The first year
was season 16/17 with Orkney winning in 17/18 and us
winning in 18/19 again.
“Next season our league changes slightly and we are
hoping to retain our winning streak. Last season we also
had the opportunity to play in the Sarah Beaney Cup.
We won two games against Peterhead and Huntly,
then progressed to play Garioch and Oban. Both these
games we suffered loses, but for teams that are in higher
leagues to us it was a good opportunity to see what we
can aspire to achieve.
“The challenges faced as a player are fitness, travel
away from family for games and keeping going when a
game isn’t going well. I have been relatively lucky that
I haven’t sustained any serious injury during my time
playing, unlike some of the other ladies on the team. I
have taken more interest in fitness since starting playing
rugby as running around for eighty minutes is hard
work!
“Living on an island we have the added challenge
of travelling to away games. These usually involve an
overnight ferry journey, then sometimes an overnight
stay on the mainland, before another overnight ferry
journey home again. This can take its toll on players
who don’t travel well, especially if the crossing is rough.