Komo youth drop guns & knives to pick up a rugby ball
10 May 2019
EMMANUEL NAROKOBI
PORT MORESBY - After six years of tribal fighting, the youth of Komo in Hela Province have taken it upon themselves to reject violence and start the first ever rugby competition.
“We started this about six weeks ago,” said Dr Michael Mai patron of the Komo Rugby Football League Association (KRL) at the official launch last month.
“This is history in the making, a dawn of a new day for this electorate.
“As we are all aware this place was once a no go zone. Komo was a ghost town with no activity except for security vehicles driving up and down the roads.”
Seeing that the youths were being drawn into tribal fighting and substance abuse, KRL chairman Morris Edwin teamed up with Dr Mai to trial 10 teams in a Christmas touch football game.
The results were very successful and a proper competition has now been established to cater for the rapidly growing interest.
Morris Edwin worked hard to bring KRL to life and, in an emotional speech, KRL chairman, thanked religious groups for their prayers, Dr Mai and his team and ExxonMobil for supporting efforts to launch the ground-breaking sports event.
Mr Edwin set up 10 clubs in the men’s competition, six teams in the women’s touch competition and two Under 10 teams.
ExxonMobil PNG is working with the PNG Rugby Football League to host a coaching clinic later this month.
Comments