A good first half of a good the 2023 season

It was indeed a good start to the new season. Last year was very interrupted with pandemic issues. We therefore felt blessed with a good continuous start in 2023.

Having gotten past Covid interruptions, the Komodos Junior Rugby continued in January with high numbers of children training, including new recruits. We regularly counted in the order of 70 to 80 young players on Saturdays and have registered 125, which will likely increase during the second half of our 2023 season. We have 8 regular coaches now and occasional coaching support from the Indonesian Rugby Union (PRUI) and parents. With that, a greater numbers of children can be supported, for which there is a much appreciated thank you to our sponsors.

In support of the children’s safety and welfare, PRUI has conducted a first aid course for coaches and parents. 12 attended the training class.

We introduced another 25 children from the Karanggan Village to rugby late last year. They are in the 10 to 12 year old age group where our numbers were small. They have so far continued in 2023 and now wear the Komodo jerseys with pride.

10 of our under 18 boys had training sessions with the Komodos men’s senior team. Two of them qualified for the senior team and participated as seniors in the Jakarta 10s tournament in May.

Very significantly, Respati Anwar and Patricia Olgilfiel were selected as members of the West Java provincial teams and will participate in the 2024 Indonesian Games in Ache. It is an incredible opportunity for them and one that will mean a lot for their careers and growth as athletes.

Rama Eko and Ichan Syah were invited from our training program  to go on tour to Malaysia in June to play with the Jakarta Provincial Team. They impressed well on tour and I believe they will also become provincial players once they gain more experience.

Things to come in the rest of this year

As we did before the holidays, we will invite Jakarta schools with rugby programs to have practice matches with us at Jagorawi from time-to-time.  There are not many and they lack facilities. It will be of great benefit to them and us if they can train with us occasionally. PRUI will support this program, which in the long term aims to have more rugby schools. This will help us to have monthly competitions in Jakarta and add significantly to the growth of ruby amongst the youth in Jakarta and West Java.

So far we have plan the following events in closing of the 2023 season:

• 9 September: JJRG’s mini tournament for the U12s at GBK and Parents Dinner
• 12-13 October: Bali Junior Sevens for our older boys
• 21 October: AIS’s Pejaten Touch Rugby Cup (One mixed age group)
• 25 November: PRUI Schools Tournament
• 8 December: JIS’s 10s Tournament
• 15 December: Season closing BBQ.

We will have frequent get-togethers during the World Cup period. It will be a joy to watch matches with our Komodo friends.

A thank you word to our Sponsors

Prior to the start of the COVID 19 Pandemic, we were fortunate to be sponsored through the generosity of:

Platinum  :  Priscilla Hall Memorial Foundation, British Chamber of Commerce and Restu Sejati
Gold          :  AIG
Silver         :  Van Aroma, Allied Pickfords
Bronze      :  Genesa Academy and personal sponsors.

The funds were used during 2019 through to the current 2023 season to rent our training grounds in Jagorawi and to get equipment, first aid supplies, training shoes for village children that really needed them, mouth guards, transporting children from the Karanggan Village to rugby training and match events in Jakarta and off course for our new training kit and other smaller things.

In 2021 during the midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic, we used some funds to transport village children to vaccination centers. This enabled them to be allowed back to training earlier than other athletes so that they could compete by the end of 2021 and in the 2022 season. Doing these great things for the children is only possible with the support of our sponsors and the dedication of parents.

So, I also wish to thank our parents and supporting members for your continued commitment to our rugby program. It is of tremendous value to our children in Jakarta and the Karanggan Village. Our club is still in recovery mode, but I believe we are in an exciting last part of this season and are already dreaming big for next year.