Schools league a career path for players, says Tkatchenko

THE launching of the National Schools Rugby League programme is a completion of the jigsaw puzzle for a career path of a rugby league player, Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko says.
He said the path was now set in concrete from the junior level to the semi-professional level and onto the international level.
“You have a future to play for, you have something to look forward to when you are playing rugby league,” he said.
“No longer will the time and effort you put into rugby league go to waste because now you know there is a pathway to become a Hunter and to become a Kumul.”
Tkatchenko said the launching of the programme was a great result that has come about through the hard working people behind the scenes from the PNG Rugby Football League and its partners.
He also encouraged other sporting federations to take rugby ’s progress as an example to excel.
Tkatchenko acknowledged PNGRFL and its chairman Sandis Tsaka, CEO Reatau Rau and the administration and board for instilling confidence into the sport.
“Rugby league has given the Government confidence because the Government can see the results of moving forward never before in the history of our country,” he said.
“The government has put a lot of time and effort to bringing rugby league to where it is now.
“Other sporting codes should take the example of what rugby league is doing and where it’s going and what it is achieving.
“The programme is now set in place for our young Papua New Guineans to take a career path in rugby league and not only boys but girls as well.
“So I urge all the schools that are supporting this to get behind PNGRFL to get behind this programme and help the young men and women and take them to the next level with rugby league.”