Today Cooke Fields played host to the Rugger Rats and U7s end of season celebration and awards morning. Having been deprived of any official end of season party last year due to everyone's least favourite virus; and then deprived of much of the 2020/21 season due to its refusal to give up and let us get back to Rugby till the spring, today carried a greater degree of poignance.
If ever there was an advert for the resilience of children and the importance and benefit of sport, sunday mornings at Cooke Fields is where it is at. Today was all about celebrating the fun and enjoyment in the various Rugger Rats groups and the U7s team, friendships made and the chance for children to throw rugby balls at their parents, parents to go one on one with their children and try to avoid being stepped (unsuccessfully in most cases).
Ultimately it was a chance for everyone to celebrate the progress and development of the rugby club's youngest players from 3-7 and to close out the season with awards, medals thank yous and applause.
Centre stage was of course the players whose laughter, enthusiasm and development each week is more infectious than any variant. A chance to briefly look back at what they have achieved despite all the obstacles and troubles of the last year, but better yet to look forward to the promise of a new season and with the hope that it is a full and unhindered one.
Today also offered a chance to thank their parents family and carers for their steadfast support for not only the children, but also their coaches and the club which has needed their help more than ever to ensure it can continue.
It is amazing how many person hours go into the chance for anyone to play organised sport; from the administration team logging registrations, temperature checking, to the groundstaff preparing and marking pitches, the kitchen team cooking, the coaching team planning and delivering, the committee behind the scenes running the club and many more besides; and today was a chance for the players to extend their thanks to them all in return in a true demonstration of their sportsmanship.
So 2020/21 season comes to a close, we all look forward to the summer break and expectantly to the start of the 2021/22 season!