The winter may have come to an end, but the football season is not over for juniors in the Illawarra.
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Last Friday night saw the first round of the Kiama Sevens Summer Series, with more than 50 kids turning up to take part in a night of rugby sevens action.
The competition is open to youngsters of all abilities and is designed to develop the skills of the players in a fun off-season environment.
Kiama Junior President Ryan McIlwaine said all the boys and girls enjoyed their time out on the field.
"Last week was our first round of games and all the kids loved it," McIlwaine said. "It's a friendly competition, with no scores kept and they're playing purely for fun.
"We're teaching the kids some new skills and hoping to attract more kids to rugby. Sevens is a good way to do that, it's a fast, quick game."
Last Friday saw a diverse range of children take part in the event, with rugby players lining up alongside those who had never played the sport together.
Roughly half of the kids came from sports other than rugby, with many league and Australian football players having a crack at the seven-a-side game.
For McIlwaine, it's vital that youngsters in the Illawarra have the opportunity to play rugby sevens on a regular basis.
"We're running for the next three to four weeks and anyone can come and play. Kids aged seven to twelve of all shapes and sizes, all abilities and backgrounds.
"It's important they get this opportunity to play rugby and if they like it, then they can come and play 15-a-side.
"This is about introducing kids to another level of the sport and it's a good option for those that don't play oztag or touch in the off-season."
The competition comes as Illawarra Junior Rugby Union representative training days have commenced in recent weeks.
The association has also experienced a restructure, with president Wayne Cusack stepping down.
Harvey Cole is the new president, with McIlwaine as vice-president. Adam Campbell will run the representative program.
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