By
Graham Davis
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Members
of the Roosters Rugby Union team hold a training session
onboard training on HMAS Success in readiness for the Mons
and Challenge cups. Photo: ABPH Helen Frank
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Navy
members from HMAS Newcastle train with the Newcastle Knights
Photo:LAC Euan Grant
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The
Chief of Navy wants a fitter Service.
VADM Chris Ritchie also wants to hone its leadership skills.
VADM Ritchie seeks to do this through sport and has asked the
Navy Sports Council to make it so.
Senior members of Systems Command, in consort with Maritime Command,
have taken up the challenge and this week conducted Sportex One.
More than 600 sailors and officers and sailors took part.
HMAS Kuttabul hosted the series of events with the Fleet Physical
Training Instructor, WO Mike Winter and his staff from the Indoor
Sports Centre at Garden Island, Sydney, organising the program.
Sportex One began on April 19 with a tennis tournament at White
City.
The following day it was an AFL tournament at Drummoyne Oval,
while a netball competition was staged at the Anne Clarke Centre.
April 21 saw hockey at the State Sports Centre and on the same
day the Five Dock Leisure Centre was the venue for a volleyball
tournament.
Sportex One culminates today (April 22) at Coogee Oval with a
day of Rugby Union action.
From the Mons Cup at the Macquarie University on April 7, selectors
chose a total of four Rugby teams.
First grade sides were selected to represent Systems Command and
Maritime Command to vie for the Navy Challenge Cup (see Centrespread
Page 10 and 19).
The first graders are due to run on to the field today at 2pm.
Former Wallaby and Sydney Lord Mayor Sir Nicholas Shehadie, husband
of the NSW Governor, Dr Marie Bashir, has been chosen to present
the trophy to the winners.
Colts representing Systems and Fleet will play one of the curtain
raisers, at 10.45am.
A women’s Rugby match will follow that game at 12.30pm.
Sportex Two is planned to continue the ethos of fitness and leadership
enhancement later this year.
In the lead-up to Sportex One, RAN members spent many hours honing
their fitness and skills so they could adequately represent their
teams and sports.
The Roosters, the Rugby team onboard HMAS Success, were particularly
diligent in training.
They received some extra help from the Australian Rugby Union
and RANRU’s development officer, LCDR Mike Hogan, when a
special clinic was held on the ship’s flight deck.
The session was to instruct players and coaches how they could
minimise on-field injuries.
The Rugby side on HMAS Newcastle didn’t stand idle either.
It went to Newcastle and conducted a training session and touch
football match with the Newcastle Knights Rugby League side.
