THE Kendall Blues and Laurieton Stingrays joined forces on Wednesday, 26 February at Vince Inmon Sporting Complex to kick off their pre-season with an “NRL Development Blitz”.

Directing the program was Shane Huland, National Rugby League (NRL) Development Officer and coaching staff member of the North Coast Bulldogs.

The Development Blitz clinics provide an opportunity for coaching staff, team managers and club officials to participate in a number of drills, aimed at fine tuning their skill and coaching techniques.

“It is important that we provide training opportunities for all of our coaches and club leaders, in order to foster the growth of NRL across the Group 3 catchment area,” said Mr Huland.

“By honing the skills of our coaches through development programs, the NRL has found that not only are new players attracted to the sport, but these events also contribute to the number of players staying in the game.

“These clinics also ensure that when players reach the age of development where they can begin to go through the junior representative pathways, such as with the North Coast Bulldogs systems, their core skills are at a higher level, increasing their competitiveness.”

More than 80 players, coaches and community members took part.

“This is a great opportunity not just for the coaching group but also for all of the rugby league players of the Camden Haven area,” said Stingrays representative Logan Marshall.

“We see this program as an opportunity for the senior players of the Kendall Blues and Laurieton Stingrays to connect with the junior league players of the area, ensuring the longevity of both clubs.”

By Kim Ambrose