North West teenagers nominated for 'Try Harder' Award

Ciaran Brown and James Lynch, two students at St Columb’s College, have been nominated for the second of this season’s Awards for Schools.

Both boys were nominated by Lee Mosby, the teacher in charge of rugby at the school.

Ciaran is 15, in Year 12 and plays prop. “Ciaran has just started playing rugby this term and is making excellent progress”, Lee said.

“He has an impressive attitude towards training and the game in general. He has excellent potential.”

James is 14, in Year 11 and plays scrum half. Mr Mosby said: “James has made good progress. He has displayed a highly-dedicated attitude towards training.”

Pauline Quigley, Head of Vodafone NI, said: “It’s really good to see the interest in rugby in Northern Ireland schools increasing year on year and to see new schools taking up the sport each year.

“At Vodafone NI we hope that the Try Harder awards encourage boys to do their best when playing rugby and while training. The awards will go to the boys who Try Harder and not necessarily the best players.”

The Awards are open to every second-level school affiliated to the IRFU Ulster Branch. The emphasis is on effort and hard work on and off the pitch. The Awards have been organised so that a school just starting to play rugby has an equal chance of having an Award winner as a school with a long tradition of excelllence in schools rugby.

Rugby coaches and teachers may nominate any number of players for the awards. The nominees may be of any age and play at any level of rugby in the school, including players who are not on a regular school team. Vodafone offers the winning player a sports voucher for 200, his school gets a voucher for 300 and the nominating coach or teacher receives a mobile phone from Vodafone.

Entries for the next award must reach the address on the nomination form by March 10th 2010.

Nomination forms may be obtained by phoning Duffy Rafferty Communications, tel 028 9073 0880 or by emailing [email protected]