Issuu

2023

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EALING TRAILFINDERS

TIMES NEW SEASON FIXTURES

NATIONAL HONOURS pg.8

TYSON BEUKEBOOM pg.20

LIZ CRAKE

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT pg.12

BILLY TWELVETREES pg.10

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E LE VAT E YOU R E V E RYDAY From spas to swims to gyms to Clubrooms and everything in between, welcome to daily life, done differently.

Spa • Pool • Gym • Classes • Clubroom • Kids Club 2

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BEN WARD’S

WELCOME

CONTENTS 3

BEN WARD’S WELCOME

5 SEASON ROUND-UP

GISELLE MATHER’S WELCOME

8 SEASON FIXTURES

10 12

BILLY TWELVETREES

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT LIZ CRAKE 16 IN THE COMMUNITY

TYSON BEUKEBOOM 22 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 27 MEET THE TRAILFINDER

Welcome to the latest edition of Trailfinders Times. As you will have seen on social media, there is a real buzz around Trailfinders Sports Club, and rightly so. As our preparations continue for the new season, there are names to learn, new relationships to forge, and the sun certainly helps with all of that! There are plenty of new arrivals for you to get acquainted with and you can meet some of them in this magazine or across our social media platforms. Pre season is well under way with our men’s, women’s, and academy teams in training. Over the past few months Giselle Mather has been piecing together a women’s squad with a huge amount of potential. This is ahead of our inaugural season in the newly rebranded, Premiership Women’s Rugby. Players have been arriving from across the world and bring a wealth of international experience. There is a real buzz around our first season in the league and the team will certainly provide lots of entertainment with attacking rugby.

For the men’s team, the 2023/24 season presents a new challenge in the shape of the Premiership Cup. This new look tournament sees the Championship and Premiership sides going up against each other to create an enthralling competition we are all looking forward to getting stuck into. The competition gives the opportunity to test ourselves against Premiership opposition and our opening fixture sees Northampton Saints visit TFSC for the first time, two attacking teams going head to head!

With the start of our competitions just around the corner I can’t wait to welcome you all back to TFSC. As a club we are trying to be more visible in Ealing so please do say hello if you see any of the players or staff in the local community. We are also hosting the first match of the season on Sunday 10th September against Northampton and I hope to see many of you there.

Ben Ward Managing Director 3

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SEASON ROUND-UP BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONSHIP CUP WINNERS With five wins from six in the Championship Cup group stage, Ealing Trailfinders secured a home semi-final against Doncaster Knights. Trailfinders put together a commanding performance, racking up 32 points and keeping the visitors scoreless. This points difference meant Trailfinders had earned a home final the following week. Trailfinders welcomed Jersey Reds to Trailfinders Sports Club for the final which was the fifth time the two teams went head to head in the 2022/23 season. A Jonah Holmes brace, followed by scores from Jack Digby, Max Bodilly and George Davis helped Trailfinders to a 3531 victory. For the second year in the row, Ealing Trailfinders were crowned Championship Cup Champions.

WOMEN’S ACADEMY LEAGUE SUCCESS After an unbeaten league campaign Brunel Women’s were promoted to BUCS Women’s Premier South, the second highest tier of women’s university rugby. Canadian international Cassandra Tuffnail lead the side to playoff victories against Bath and Cambridge to secure their promotion.

ACADEMY CUP TRIUMPH Brunel University overcame Newcastle University on Big BUCS Wednesday to lift the Men’s Vase. A player of the match performance from Sean Bundy helped Brunel to a 29-19 win back in March. Their cup run included wins against Northumbria, Leeds and Nottingham Trent in the semi-final.

OUR BARBARIAN TRAILFINDERS Steven Shingler, Billy Twelvetrees and Lloyd Williams were selected to play for the Barbarians ahead of their match against Swansea RFC in June as the welsh side celebrated their 150th anniversary. Shingler crossed the whitewash twice, helping the Baa-Baas secure a 35-14 victory.

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GISELLE MATHER’S WELCOME

Welcome to the first time that Trailfinders Women appear in the Trailfinders Times! As you will have seen on our social platforms, we have been exceptionally busy recruiting a very exciting squad over the last 6 months, as well as very committed staff full of expertise to help the players grow and develop both as individuals and as a team. We have recruited players from far and wide with eleven different nations represented and the experience profile of the squad ranges from young England U18 athletes in Lauren Knowler and Annabel Meta to a 3 times world cup veteran in Tyson Beukeboom! These are incredibly exciting times for the Trailfinders Women. Literally everything is new! We are new to each other, both staff and players, the way to play is new, the kit is new, the team room is new, even the balls and bibs are brand new! But with that comes new opportunity. Opportunity to build a brand new team to compete at the highest domestic level in this country in the best league in the world for women’s rugby, the opportunity to connect with and inspire young girls in our local community to get involved in our incredible sport, the opportunity to play highly entertaining and expansive rugby, the opportunity to build a brand new fan base that will come to support and get behind the team every week, the opportunity to combine with the Ealing Trailfinders men to build a rugby base in West London that everyone wants to be part of and is genuinely proud of and an opportunity to be part of and contribute to the incredible rise of woman’s sport to name but a few! Here at Trailfinders Sports Club, we are already embracing our opportunity and have begun our preseason training in earnest. The squad are

already bonding exceptionally well and training very hard as they prepare to take part in Trailfinders Women’s inaugural season in both Premiership Women’s Rugby and the Premiership Cup. Some of our athletes have yet to join the environment as they have been involved in international competition in the Pacific 4s and our GB 7s athletes in the European 7s championships where they were crowned champions and qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. They will all be joining us very soon. Our pathway athletes located at Brunel University, Henley College and Cardinal Newman School all began their preseason training at the beginning of August. It is a huge opportunity for them to follow a dual pathway with their rugby programs wrapped around their academic study. We will be training with our Brunel pathway athletes at the end of August which everyone is really looking forward to. Over the next few weeks, the squad will be going on a preseason tour where the players will face several different challenges to raise their understanding of one another, to work hard on their skills and levels of fitness and prepare for the upcoming season. Shortly after the tour our international athletes will be joining up with their respective nations to go into camps to prepare for the WXV, which is a new three-tiered global international competition in the women’s game that replaces the Autumn series. Tier 1 will take place in New Zealand, Tier 2 in South Africa and Tier 3 in Dubai and Trailfinders will have athletes competing in all three venues! Keep an eye out for their progress. Whilst they are away the rest of the squad will begin competing in the premiership cup with our first fixture being away to

Harlequins on September 30th. We cannot wait! On the conclusion of the WXV on November 4th the athletes will all return to Vallis Way to join up with the rest of the squad and after a short acclimatisation period will begin preparation for our first league game at home, again to Harlequins, on Saturday 18th November. We hope to see and hear as many of you there as possible to begin our competitive journey as Trailfinders Women! Very exciting times lie ahead!

Giselle Mather Trailfinders Women Director of Rugby.

EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

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EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

BILLY

TWELVETREES A CHANGE IN APPEARANCE AND ENVIRONMENT HASN’T DETERRED BILLY TWELVETREES AS HE EAGERLY LOOKS FORWARD TO EMBRACING THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD AT TRAILFINDERS. HIS ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION TO THE SPORT CONTINUE TO DRIVE HIM FORWARD IN THIS NEW CHAPTER OF HIS RUGBY CAREER.

was, which is always nice. Everyone was looking around, saying, ‘Who’s this guy?’ “Preseason started well. The first day felt like starting a new school, meeting all the new lads and new coaches, and I was a bit nervous, along with some of the other new boys. “Coming to a new club like Trailfinders after being at Gloucester for 11 years was quite daunting. It was like starting a new school, meeting new people and staff, and I’m still getting used to all the names. Luckily with rugby, you’ll get thrown in the deep end, and you’re calling moves on the pitch, getting the ball in hand, running, passing and tackling.

PHOTO: MARTIN BENNETT / GLOUCESTER RUGBY

After over 250 appearances for Gloucester, Billy Twelvetrees is starting a new chapter in his rugby career. A rugby journey that has seen him play for England, the Barbarians, and being called up to the British and Irish Lions. Now he’s settling into his new home at Trailfinders and itching to get started. Arriving on day one of preseason saw Twelvetrees nearly sneak in under the radar. His trademark luscious locks were no more, and he was just one of the new lads. The centre said: “The short hair has been great because I turned up and introduced myself, and no one knew who I

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PHOTOS: MARTIN BENNETT / GLOUCESTER RUGBY

“We started with a Bronco test, so getting that out of the way was nice! The Bronco is never fun; some very sharp, fit lads are in there. Some of the nines are particularly fast, so I was the older statesman trying to keep up with some of those boys, but I made the most important markers.” Twelvetrees, who was capped 22 times for England, brings a wealth of experience to Trailfinders after his rugby journey has taken him worldwide. “I came to Trailfinders because, first and foremost, it allows me to keep playing rugby. I love the sport; I’ve always loved it. It allows me a chance to help this club do what they want to do. I’m a very competitive person with goals to succeed in rugby, and Trailfinders have given me that opportunity, for which I’m very grateful. “I think I can bring an understanding of what it takes to win tight games and probably a bit of experience, whatever that looks like in rugby. It all comes in different ways, and what I can impact on the group is a bit of an unknown question right now, but what I’ve done over the last, however many years playing, I’m looking forward to bringing all that to a Trailfinders’ shirt. “I spoke to Wardy [Ben Ward], and this vision for the club and everything else is inspiring. Combined with the group of players already here, their previous success, and the people they were signing, it was an easy decision. “My goals for this season are to have an impact on this team on and off the pitch. In rugby, you can get caught up with results, but it’s all about how you connect with others around you, and I want to learn from the guys who have been here, share my experiences and help Trailfinders do well this season. For Twelvetrees, the announcement of the Championship fixtures was fascinating as the first week sees him take a trip down memory lane. “Bedford away at Goldington Road is where I debuted my first Championship. This is the first game of the Championship, and I’m quite excited about that, but we’ve got so many lads going for fifteen shirts that it will be very competitive. It also brought back memories of playing on that pitch and the slope!

Bedford vs Ealing Trailfinders 21st October 2023 K0 3pm

EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

LIZ CRAKE MEET LIZ CRAKE. ONE OF THE FIRST NAMES ANNOUNCED IN THE TRAILFINDERS SQUAD WHICH IS HARD AT WORK PREPARING FOR THEIR FIRST SEASON IN THE TOP FLIGHT OF WOMEN’S RUGBY, THE NEWLY REBRANDED PREMIERSHIP WOMEN’S RUGBY.

So far, 2023 has been an exciting year for Liz Crake. While recording her 125th appearance for her former club, the forward also earned her first two “caps for England” during the 2023 Six Nations which saw the Red Roses crowned Grand Slam Champions. Crake’s move to Trailfinders sees her reunite with Director of Women’s Rugby, Giselle Mather who coached her for seven years whilst at Wasps. Alongside her rugby, Crake is a dentist, a career she decided to persue after shadowing at a local practice before applying to university. “I basically didn’t want a desk job, or to finish uni and end up going into a random grad job,” explained Crake. “I wanted a career and something more practical. I really didn’t enjoy it at uni but luckily it’s much better out in the real world.” For the Red Rose, dentistry has developed into a rewarding career, but one that is certainly not without its challenges when playing in the top flight of women’s rugby. “I always thought it was a career where I could choose my hours and it would be easier but it’s up to the owner of the practice you work in. Luckily I have very supportive bosses who understand how important rugby is to me, and as such, are willing to accommodate. 12

“It can be very difficult and frustrating because I have a duty of care, so if I’m running late at the end of the day or there’s a sudden emergency, I can’t just down tools and leave because I need to be at training on time which means I have to try and do my pretraining gym sessions in the morning.” When Crake was called up to the England squad for the Six Nations, she had only been working at her current practices for a couple of months. Fortunately, her bosses were happy to balance her rugby aspirations allowing the Red Rose to go into camp for the best part of two months. She came off the bench for her first cap at Kingston Park when England took on Scotland in the opening round. A week later she was named on the bench for the Red Roses’ victory over Italy. Large tournaments such as the Six Nations can be

difficult to plan around but what’s is equally challenging is last minute notices or cancellations. Crake explained: “I’m supposed to work the Saturdays that we don’t have a game, but its hard when a game

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gets rearranged and suddenly I need the reserve week Saturday off again when I had promised to work then. I feel awful for my bosses but very grateful that they understand I’m not being difficult on purpose. All that being said, Crake gets a huge amount of fulfilment from her job because of the positive impact she can have on people’s lives. “It really makes a difference to people, when they can smile again and feel better about themselves, or they’re not in pain anymore. “It’s challenging so I get a lot of job satisfaction when something is hard but I manage to achieve it or complete it, like when a tooth is being really stubborn but I finally manage to get it out!”

While rugby and dentistry are incredibly different, there are several skills that are crucial to operating successfully at work and on the rugby pitch. “People management skills and leadership are pretty important for

how to be around people with those different emotions in games or in training.” “I think rugby gives me a different perspective and a world outside of being a dentist. It’s a very stressful job and can be quite all consuming with the amount of further training, reading, and courses you can do. Therefore, having something completely different does help. “No matter how hard my day at work is, I know when I get to rugby, I can have a run around with friends, burn off some nervous energy and not think about work at all. Crake and the rest of the squad are currently preparing for their first season in Premiership Women’s Rugby.

“I think rugby gives me a different perspective and a world outside of being a dentist.” both. In dentistry, I have to manage patients who can have a whole range of emotions in the chair such as fear or anger and you have to build a rapport. “That’s the same as being on a team with other athletes. Everyone has their own stuff and you have to know

EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

EALING TRAILFINDERS 2023/2024 FIRST TEAM SQUAD 14

BACK ROW

MIDDLE ROW

FRONT ROW

Terry, Holmes, Hiscocks, Thyer, Williams, Hitchcock, O’Byrne, Taylor, Bridge, Earle, Collins, Goodrick-Clarke, Lancaster, Keasey, O’Connor, Montgomery.

Kane, Kernohan, Farrar, Cannon, Mavinga, Twelvetrees, Reid, Cutmore, Davidson, Gillespie, Cornish, Alo, Willemse, Walker, Newman, Roots, O’Brien.

Linsell, Uzokwe, Whyte, Maddison, Howard, Burns, Willis, Smid, Daniels, Cordy-Redden, Shingler, De Wee, Davis, Bodilly, Bird-Tulloch, Kelleher.

EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

IN THE COMMUNITY FO

The sun’s been out and so have the Ealing Trailfinders Community Team. We’re always looking for more opportunities to help young people and adults see the physical and U N DAT I O N mental benefits of staying active with us - and it’s been a busy summer.

Party in the Park

Southall Area Athletics Tournament

With the help of players from the men’s team, we engaged with over 1000 families. We set up free challenges and games to keep children active and happy throughout the day!

Six schools from the Southall area take part in a competitive athletics tournament at our partner school, Three Bridges Primary School every year - this summer we were there as the independent adjudicators and guests of honour.

Willow Tree Regional Rugby Tournament Our community coaches refereed the final’s day at the Willow Tree SSP’s Regional Rugby Tournament. We had the best primary school rugby teams from west London competing to go to a national tournament.

British Land Volunteer Day with Mencap Service users With the help of over 20 volunteers from British Land, we delivered a fun filled morning for the local MENCAP Centre to experience rugby and enjoy being active.

Bruno braves the rain to help the children at North Ealing Primary School complete their annual Park run!

St. Gregory’s Primary School - Respect Week

Holy Family, St. Gregory’s and North Ealing Primary School Fair

Rugby is a game based on Respect - With the help of Championship Rugby Players Jimmy Roots and Ollie Newman we spoke to the Year 3 and 4 children about the values of rugby (TREDS - Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship).

Andrea Stock, Fiona Cooper, Kie Tamai, and Shannon Ikahihifo, from our Allienz Premier Women’s Rugby team, joined us at North Ealing Primary School to build up a buzz for girls sport!

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A CLUBBING YEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY! In the last 12 months the green and white hoops have been taking over courts and pitches across West London. Our clubs have grown from 102 members to 320 members - offering more young people opportunities to get active, stay active and love being active!

Netball The last 18 months have been an exciting time for the Netball Club. For the first time we entered four teams in the local West London Junior Netball League and although we didn’t record many wins, the improvement in the girls by the end of the season was astonishing. Starting the year with less than 20 members, we now have over 70 girls from across 13 different schools in Ealing.

Football The women’s revolution has truly taken over Ealing Trailfinders Football Club with the success of the new U12 and U14 girls teams! We’ve had over 70 girls training with us throughout the year and as the demand grows, we’re looking to add two more girl’s teams for next year and an additional three boys teams!

800 free camp places!

Amateur Women’s and Girls Rugby The women’s team was started during the Covid Pandemic, and through a fantastic partnership with the University of West London we now have over 40 women playing for our amateur team and 38 girls aged 11-14. We even had 17 additional girls from High Wycombe High School - who jumped on a mini-bus to Ealing Trailfinders every week. This all came about after a match day experience with our team.

Mixed Ability Rugby Our mixed ability rugby has sustained numbers over the past year. For many of our users, this is the only opportunity they have for physical activity in the week. Thanks to funding from Sport England, we can continue to fund the club for another year!

This Summer we’re offering over 800 free places on our multi sport camps in Ealing, Hillingdon and, Hammersmith and Fulham! Thanks to Funding from the governments Holiday Activity and Food Fund we are able to offer free places on our camps for those families who are eligible for free school meals. Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being: • less likely to access organised out-of-school activities • more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health • more likely to experience social isolation In addition to these, we are also running specialised Rugby, Football and Netball Camps at Ealing. If you are interested in signing up to one of our camps, please visit our website, or email us on community@etprm.com IF YOU’RE NOT ALREADY PART OF ONE OF OUR CLUBS, WANT MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT WE OFFER OR WANT TO TRY A NEW SPORT PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR GET IN TOUCH BY EMAILING COMMUNITY@ETPRM.COM

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TYSON BEUKEBOOM

TYSON BEUKEBOOM IS ONE OF CANADA’S STALWARTS. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM SINCE 2013 AND IN THAT TIME HAS EARNED 60 CAPS FOR HER COUNTRY AND FINISHED SECOND AT THE 2014 WORLD CUP. LEARN MORE ABOUT ONE OF THE NORTH AMERICAN ADDITIONS TO THE TRAILFINDERS SQUAD. Why Trailfinders? I was very interested in Trailfinders as they are a new team to Premiership Women’s Rugby, and it will also be my first time playing in the league. It’s so fun to be part of something fresh and play a little role in the building process. I got the chance to sit down and chat with Giselle about the type of programme she is building, and a lot of my own personal values as a player were present in her values as a coach and leader, and I very quickly knew I wanted to be a Trailfinder.

Big differences between rugby in Canada and the UK? I think the biggest difference between rugby in Canada vs the UK is just how established it is. In Canada, it is much newer so within our provincial leagues we just don’t 20

see the same consistency in competition between teams from game to game. That is slowly starting to shift, and I think that’s in large part due to the success our Canadian Women’s side has seen in the last 10 years.

How was your World Cup experience? This past World Cup was an amazing experience; obviously, as a programme, it wasn’t the outcome we were hoping for. However, to be able to compete and challenge professional outfits as an amateur side is something we as a team were very proud of. It was also so incredible to see the growth of women’s rugby and women’s sport overall. The packed stadiums throughout the tournament and especially the final, were so surreal. It was well put on and showcased the game perfectly. It is such an honour to be able to say I was a part of it.

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How has the Canadian game changed the World Cup? I think we play a fast and dynamic game, and especially after the 2014 World Cup we really made a name for ourselves in that sphere. Because of our unexpected success in 2014 and our continued success I believe we have had some influence on the game becoming a little faster and more dynamic. People are still surprised when we show up at world cups and finish top 4, we have been here and will continue to be here.

What did it mean to you to get your 60th cap? I’ve had such a hard time putting the feeling into words. Surreal is probably the most apt, I honestly can’t believe it. I still feel like I’m just getting going, then I remember it’s 10 years I’ve been at this and it just doesn’t seem real. It’s such an honour every time I get to wear the Canadian jersey and to be able to say I’ve done it 60 times is so unbelievably cool!

What are you bringing to Trailfinders? I think I will bring a physical edge; the contact part of the game is my strength. I also hope to bring some leadership, I’ve been playing for a long time and hope that I can help propel the game forward and lead by example.

Standout rugby memory? I think I have two standout moments that I can choose from. The first was the 2014 World Cup final, it was such an amazing experience. Although everyone was surprised, we made it there, we knew it would happen if we kept pushing. The second moment would be my 60th cap game. To be able to get my 60th cap, as well as play potentially some of the best rugby of my career thus far, was so exciting, and I’ll never forget it! Lastly, I’d just like to say I’m extremely excited to be part of the Trailfinders, and I can’t wait to see what we can put out this season!

Q+A EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

KARL

GIBSON Karl Gibson was one of the longest-serving players at the club and helped Trailfinders to promotion on numerous occasions. Karl now works as a Personal Trainer at West London Fitness based out of Trailfinders Sports Club, where he spent much of his time in years gone by! Can you explain what you do for work and the company you work for? I work as a personal trainer for West London fitness helping people work towards achieving their fitness and health goals. Which can consist of weight loss, muscle gain, rehabilitation and general fitness for a few examples.

What steps did you take whilst playing to prepare you for your career after rugby? While I was playing rugby I studied at St Mary’s University for my degree with the idea of teaching in mind. Towards the tail end of my career, I came across personal training, and I was given the chance to grow and learn while starting to build a small group of clients with which I would work around my training schedule.

What do you love about your current job? I love that I help people achieve things they didn’t think possible, grow new friendships, and carry on with my own training and working my own hours, which is also a bonus.

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What advice would you give other players looking to progress into life after rugby? I would strongly recommend that any player have some qualifications to fall back on, even if they are unsure which path they would like to take. Rugby’s great fun and very hard to replace, but the end comes around quickly. It is always better to have a slight head start than nothing at all.

Looking back at your time at Trailfinders, what did you love about the club? What’s not to love? It’s a fantastic club with very loyal fans. The brand of rugby played is exciting to play and now watch. The facilities are more than impressive and keep improving year by year. It always impresses me how many people are willing to help, from the minis and youth section to the seniors’ pros and amateurs. Everything is done with a welcoming smile which was very comforting as a young 18-year-old.

What is your best memory of an Ealing Trailfinders shirt? I was fortunate to be a part of Trailfinders in the London leagues when I originally joined and gained promotion to the nationals in my first season, then right the way through the national leagues to the championship. The best moment for me would have to be the promotion from National One for the first time. We had a fantastic

group of players who were/still are great mates and will be for life, and we managed to achieve something very special. It’s followed closely by the Christmas socials, but I’ll not go into too much detail! West London Fitness www.westlondonfitness.co.uk 07852 606 288 contact@westlondonfitness.co.uk

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EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES

Q+A

MEET THE TRAILFINDER

NICK

GALLAGHER We get to know Trailfinders Athletic Performance Director, Nick Gallagher. What does your role involve?

Have you always been involved with rugby?

My role entails collaborating with the coaches to ensure that we put out the best outfit at the weekend. They look after the tactical and technical side and we try to make sure that the players are physically ready to perform as the coaches need them to.

I used to play ice hockey and that was the thing I loved growing up. I had minimal rugby experience so coming into this environment was interesting. You start to learn the game from a strength and conditioning point of view. For example, how much they run in the game, how many contacts they take in a game or what the biomechanical demands of the game are, and then you start to build knowledge around the actual game of rugby.

What does a normal day look like for you? A typical day starts early. We have a 07:00 coaches meeting just to ensure everyone is on the same page. We then split off into our departments, have our own meetings including a meeting with the medical team as well as strength and conditioning so that we can confirm what injured players are doing, what healthy players are doing, and if there is anyone who will be limited in a session.

What are you up to on a match day? On match day, I’m there to support the players and make sure they can perform to the best of their ability. I’m also an extra body to help out in any way possible. I’m not a kicking coach by any means but it’s something I quite enjoy. I kick back to the kickers and make sure during the warm-up they can execute as they need and get their minds ready for the game. As soon as the first whistle starts I’m on the touchline delivering messages from the coaches to the players, running tee or running water. One thing I pride myself on is that I’d like to consider myself the fastest tee boy in the league. They don’t know it’s a race, but it definitely is a race!

What is the best part of the role? My favourite thing about working for Trailfinders is very easy. The community that we work in has a very close relationship with every department, even the players. We all pitch in and help out one another. You never struggle to wake up in the morning, even for a 07:00 meeting! 27

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