mrslong
International Rep
- Mar 25, 2008
- 13,301
- 13,491
So here's a touching story about my 12 year old nephew "Z's" conversion to the great game of Rugby League and the Brisbane Broncos.
A year ago September my hubby's brother passed away suddenly leaving behind 4 kids aged 6-11 and a wife. Anyway, my brother in law and wife hated footy, and his kids had nothing to do with any kind of sport really outside of school...academic types you know.
Fast forward this first state of origin, my inlaws incl my SIL (for the first time ever) and her 4 kids came around to watch origin with us, we put on a big spread it's a bit of a tradition, and it was fun.
I got a text the 2nd origin mentioning that Z had asked if we were doing anything, even though he couldn't come and we didn't think about it again.
We along with a few of my inlaws and their kids went on a road-trip to Cairns, stopping in Townsville to watch a northern nephew compete in the Laurie Spina cup, he was also running in the relay at half time for the cowboys so we went to the cowboys game (good Lord, somebody get them a new stadium). My hubby would play touch footy with the kids every afternoon, and Z forced his mum to buy him some footy boots. We didn't really notice Z taking it all in and working out that all of his uncles and cousins loved Footy, and here was a way to bond with some male role models (he'd been missing since his dad died, and maybe a long time before that even).
Thursday night rolled around and we sat down and watched whoever was playing whoever, and Z was the only kid who sat and watched the whole thing asking the rules etc. The next day he asked me if we'd be watching the Broncos game that night. My "hell yes" was met with a sigh of relief and he went about his business until kick off. Broncos v Storm, less said the better. He was the only one who watched the whole game (Yeah yeah I bailed with 10 to go), just after half time he asked "Sooo, the Broncos aren't doing too well, does this mean we go for the Cowboys now?" - this is a kid who has known nothing about sport at all ever, "No mate, we stick by our team through thick and thin, so you pick a team and you stay with them forever" he thinks for a minute and says "I'm from Brisbane, so I'll be sticking by the Broncos" nodding away.
I got a photo from his mum last night of Z comfy in front of the Broncos game and hubby and I quickly made plans to take him to the Eels game - the only Friday night game left.
****If anyone is looking for a reason for the Broncos plunge in form, we haven't put it past my brother in law rolling over in his grave at his son getting into footy, and that he's doing some behind the scenes sabotage on the boys lol*******
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Sorry for the long post, but do you have a Broncos conversion story, an epiphany to share?
and does anyone here know how to get a Broncos signed poster or something for the kid?
A year ago September my hubby's brother passed away suddenly leaving behind 4 kids aged 6-11 and a wife. Anyway, my brother in law and wife hated footy, and his kids had nothing to do with any kind of sport really outside of school...academic types you know.
Fast forward this first state of origin, my inlaws incl my SIL (for the first time ever) and her 4 kids came around to watch origin with us, we put on a big spread it's a bit of a tradition, and it was fun.
I got a text the 2nd origin mentioning that Z had asked if we were doing anything, even though he couldn't come and we didn't think about it again.
We along with a few of my inlaws and their kids went on a road-trip to Cairns, stopping in Townsville to watch a northern nephew compete in the Laurie Spina cup, he was also running in the relay at half time for the cowboys so we went to the cowboys game (good Lord, somebody get them a new stadium). My hubby would play touch footy with the kids every afternoon, and Z forced his mum to buy him some footy boots. We didn't really notice Z taking it all in and working out that all of his uncles and cousins loved Footy, and here was a way to bond with some male role models (he'd been missing since his dad died, and maybe a long time before that even).
Thursday night rolled around and we sat down and watched whoever was playing whoever, and Z was the only kid who sat and watched the whole thing asking the rules etc. The next day he asked me if we'd be watching the Broncos game that night. My "hell yes" was met with a sigh of relief and he went about his business until kick off. Broncos v Storm, less said the better. He was the only one who watched the whole game (Yeah yeah I bailed with 10 to go), just after half time he asked "Sooo, the Broncos aren't doing too well, does this mean we go for the Cowboys now?" - this is a kid who has known nothing about sport at all ever, "No mate, we stick by our team through thick and thin, so you pick a team and you stay with them forever" he thinks for a minute and says "I'm from Brisbane, so I'll be sticking by the Broncos" nodding away.
I got a photo from his mum last night of Z comfy in front of the Broncos game and hubby and I quickly made plans to take him to the Eels game - the only Friday night game left.
****If anyone is looking for a reason for the Broncos plunge in form, we haven't put it past my brother in law rolling over in his grave at his son getting into footy, and that he's doing some behind the scenes sabotage on the boys lol*******
----------
Sorry for the long post, but do you have a Broncos conversion story, an epiphany to share?
and does anyone here know how to get a Broncos signed poster or something for the kid?
