WHP women’s rugby league president calling for support

Normal, Sports
Source:

The National – Thursday, June 16, 2011

By ELIAS LARI
THE Western Highlands women’s rugby league competition will kick off its season proper this  weekend.
The league president  Wendy Wei revealed that the competition needed funding and asked all clubs, players and officials to do their part for the successful running of the women’s league this year.
She further invited interested teams to come forward and give the names for the new season.
Wei said, so far, three teams made their intentions known to her league.
The three teams are from Gomis, Tee School and Wara Kum Ward 7.
Wei said she expected more teams to submit their interest to her.
She said this would be the first time for the women’s league to start a regular season.
“There must be cooperation between interested women who want to play and the teams before taking the field,” she said.
“Teams must be quick to submit the necessary information so that the competition can kick start without any delays.”
She said that if teams failed to submit on time, then that team would be left out on this year’s competition.
Wei said there was a growing number of young women in Mt Hagen who were interested to play in a traditionally male sport and they needed encouragement and support from the community.
She added that the success of this season would go a long way in ensuring growth of women’s rugby league.
She admitted it would need more support in cash and kind to develop female players.
“It will be a first for the province and exciting for the people and fans in the to witness women playing rugby league.
“Sport is a vital tool that can be used to help develop women and girls in the country.
“Nowadays, many women who are not at school and unemployed and not doing anything useful need something to do and sport is a way of getting them to refocus,” she said
“We need to help these girls in whatever way we can and playing a team sport like rugby league is just one way to build and promote good attitudes and a sense of purpose.”
For more information, Wei can be contacted on 7302 8985.