Hi under 16 parents,

Most of you would all know me reasonable well, so the below proposal below will not be a shock.

I have been thinking about this for some time and I came across the 15 All Black Principles and this is what I needed to push me along.

I am looking for our U16 boys to start giving back to the club. Most of the boys have been playing for many years and coached always by volunteers, a few of the boys have given back but not the majority, I would like to see young men see giving back as something that is a good thing rather than something that should be avoided.

I am looking for the boys to come and teach our U8 & U10 Children on a Monday (4:30 – 5:30) or Wednesday (4:30 – 5:30) or Friday (4-5). We will have adults there to guide them and explain what we would like. If we have a reasonable number of boys we may run a 2 hour coaching course on what to do and how to do things so we are all on the same page.

The two principles below are why I believe our boys should do this. Below are extracts of the two that pushed me along:

6. No Obnoxiousness

Follow the spearhead.

The All Blacks select on character over talent, which means some of New Zealand’s most promising players never pull on the black jersey – because they don’t have the right character, their inclusion would be detrimental to the whanau. Like all the great teams the All Blacks seek to replace the ‘me’ with the ‘we’. No one is bigger than the team. The team always comes first.

Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work. Connect with one another and strive towards a common goal.

I have also seen this in an American Div 1 College team requirement as well.

- And secondly -

14. Be a Good Ancestor

Plant trees you’ll never see.

The All Blacks task is to represent all those who have come before them, and all those who follow.

There’s a fundamental Maori spiritual concept called whakapapa –As the sun shines on you for this moment, this is your time, it’s your obligation and responsibility to add to the legacy – to leave the jersey in a better place.