Sports
Freeport Rugby Club hosts 8th Annual Junior International Rugby Festival
By Sarah Kirkby
May 15, 2018 - 5:00:19 PM

Pictured at a press conference held at the Freeport Rugby Football Club to discuss the events and plans for 8th Annual Jr. International Rugby Festival are; Stephen Sheehan, FRFC Youth Officer, Narrissa Lockhart, Ministry Sports & Jay Philippe, Ministry of Tourism, Rob Speller, FRFC President and Nuvolari Chootosingh, Ministry of Sports. The 50-year-old club will welcome over 400 players and parents to Grand Bahama this weekend.

Freeport, Grand Bahama – The Freeport Rugby Football Club will host its eighth annual Junior International Rugby Festival this weekend on May 19th – 20th. Teams from Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Nassau and Key Biscayne will travel to play in the two-day tournament that will take place at the rugby club located on East Settler’s Way. This annual exhibition is a great showcase for the sport and will feature players from 8 to 16 years old.

The festival is a culmination of months of dedication from Freeport’s coaching staff, players and leadership group. Youth Development Officer Stephen Sheehan, who was hired to promote the club’s rugby and soccer programs, has made a significant impact on the island. Sheehan has set up programs at Jack Hayward High, St. George’s High and Sunland Baptist Academy to help instruct students about the game of rugby. With Sheehan on board, the club’s rugby and soccer programs have seen increased membership across the board, with youth athletes representing many of the island’s schools, including Bishop Michael Eldon, Jack Hayward, Lucayan International School, Sunland and Tabernacle.

“Working for the rugby club has been a tremendous experience, and this is just the icing on the cake,” Sheehan said. “We look forward to two days of great rugby with new friends from all over the world.”

The event represents a fantastic tourism opportunity, as the club expects more than 400 players, coaches, parents and supporters to arrive on the island. The Club extends its gratitude to its generous sponsors for the event, including the Bahamas Tourism Board, MSC, Pelican Bay, BTC and GB Shipyard—all of whom have made this event possible with their generosity.

President Rob Speller “as a non-profit organization we rely on the goodwill of our members and sponsors to enable all our youth programs to operate and to host such an event as the Festival proves what we are doing at The Club is working for the junior members. Our aim has always been to provide boys and girls in our community a safe environment to play soccer and rugby”.

The club welcomes spectators to watch the action, which will kick off Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Photos and videos of the tournament will be posted on the club’s social media accounts. Please support the club by following us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/FreeportRFC

Twitter: @FreeportRFC

Instagram: @Freeportrugbyclub

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