The Cronulla Sutherland District Junior Rugby League have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with the Cronulla Sharks - the first time in recent history that a multi-year agreement has been reached.
As well as formalising their relationship, the agreement ensures the club will assist the association financially. The Sharks will donate one dollar from every ticket sold at Shark Park to a junior rugby league equipment fund, which will be divided across the 14 junior clubs.
Equipment will only be for use by an entire club, as opposed to funding that might only benefit senior players. Hart Sports have set up an account and log in for each club to redeem their equipment on a quarterly basis.
The agreement could be worth around $50,000 for junior league clubs based on last year's figures, which would equate to a little more than $3,500 per club.
Cronulla's first home game against Gold Coast generated more than $5,000 which was to be deposited into the fund immediately. Junior clubs can access the fund in season.
The MOU stipulates the funding to the junior league and will also benefit clubs and its players through ticketing, jerseys and player visits.
The initiatives were received positively at a junior league meeting, attended by the clubs and their delegates, last week.
A trio of Cronulla's local juniors Chad Townsend (Yarrawarrah Tigers), Jayden Brailey (Aquinas Colts) and Scott Sorensen (Cronulla-Caringbah) were on hand to launch the partnership at Shark Park last week alongside outgoing Sharks CEO Barry Russell and junior league chairman Nathan Waugh and general manager Amanda Kayes.
Russell, a Cronulla-Caringbah junior himself, told the Leader he was delighted to have formalised the partnership.
"I think the junior league for us has always been an integral part of the club and it's always been my desire to have a good, strong working relationship," he said.
"Being a local junior and coming from that nursery myself I felt it was a good time to partner with the junior league and give a long-term commitment.
"They've got a really good executive in place. They have the same desire as I have and [Sharks community general manager] George Nour. I suppose we want to work harder with them to help them and the clubs to develop players, coaches and administrators. Likewise they want to help support us and get more people to games and support their district club and the future of the Sharks.
"We've got a huge responsibility to support the junior league and our 14 [junior] clubs are vital to our long-term success. [Three years] gives them some certainty, trying to negotiate MOUs every year, the year goes very quickly and then you have to start over again.
"I pulled on my first Cronulla jumper in the under-14s Matthews Cup as it was back then and played in every junior representative grade. I was fortunate enough to go through and fulfill my dream of becoming a first grade player with the Sharks so I believe very strongly in the junior league and its benefits."
