Weekend Wrap-up

Every year I come to State Youth Games and it gives me nothing but pain, yet every year I keep coming back.

- Shaun

After almost 8 hours of traveling it was great to arrive at State Youth Games XI in Gawler, South Australia. I was apart of the 41 people that made up the team of Bordertown United which consisted of players from Serviceton Church of Christ, Bordertown Church of Christ, Magill Church of Christ and Edwardstown Baptist Church.

Results:
Sat. Morning - T-ball. Despite one of our team-members being unable to run, we were competitive in 3 out of our 4 games, no wins unfortunately, but the only real blow-out was in our opening game.

Sat. Arvo - Flag Football - Our opening game loss 3 - 1 was no surprise as this sport was completely new to most of our team. It was great fun and very satisfying however to notice the improvement in subsequent matches. A great interception and run, followed by some gritty defending led our team to a surprise (even to us) win 1 - 0, over our friendly opposition Modbury. Our third match was against the banner and flag waving Noarlunganites. We battled hard against more experienced opposition, and were more than happy with a 2 - 0 loss. Our final game would come down to the wire, after both teams scored early the match was deadlocked at 1 - 1, but a great interception and run in the final play of the match would see Bordertown snatch unlikely victory.

Sun Morning - Netball - Probably the sport I enjoyed the most. Playing most our games at Goal-Attack, I was able to score a few goals as well as run through the center, it was very tiring but great fun. We managed 1 win out of our 4 encounters, but again the enjoyment was had in seeing our team improve over the course of a morning.

Sun Afternoon - AFL Modified Football - Bordertown 2 were going to be battling all day in this competition. With only 3 of the 5 allowable males on our team & myself being the only player to have played football competitively before, it was going to be tough. Nevertheless, we battled on hard, ran till we had a stitches and enjoyed the challenge. Experience playing for KLU for a number of seasons had taught me to appreciate scoring points as scoring goals, and scoring goals as winning games. This we certainly did and when I was able to snap-kick the handpass I'd received from a team-mate to a marking forward, our only goal for the afternoon was kicked and we celebrated our moral victory.

Bordertown United were Runners Up overall. We where champions in the following sports:

• Flag Football
  
• Darts
• Mens Basketball
• Womens Basketball
• Table Tennis
  
• 3 on 3 Soccer
  
• Marathon Relay

Teams were also runners up in the following:

• Netball
• Backyard Cricket
• AFL Modified Football

Was a really good weekend. Well Done to all my fellow team-mates. Also well done to Marion for winning overall & Happy Valley, who won the best sportsmanship (sportspersonship?) award. Would also like to make mention of the fact that the country churches placed rather well, with Balaklava taking out the small- church category.

I think we'll all be there again to get some more pain & soreness next year.