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IOL News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Why starting young holds the key to closing the gap in SA women's rugby
History beckons The Springboks Women will kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign on Sunday when they face Brazil in Northampton. Photo: Reinhardt Hamman/BackpagePix Image: Reinhardt Hamman/BackpagePix The Women's Rugby World Cup kicks off this Friday with the number one ranked and heavy tournament favourites England taking on the United States at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Two days later, South Africa's Springbok Women will get their competition up and running when they face Brazil, and they will be confident they can get their first-ever pool stage win in the history of the tournament. The Springboks will also be up against Italy and France – teams they have never beaten before. But rugby commentator Layla Arrison, who will be at the World Cup providing expert analysis for television audiences, believes the women in green and gold will get through the pool stages and reach the knockout stages for the first time ever. 'We've never won a game at a Rugby World Cup, so that will be the most important thing. I've also gone on air to say this will be the first time we reach the quarter-finals. We've never made it out of the group stages. If we can do that, we're on a very exciting path,' Arrison said when speaking to IOL Sport earlier this month. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. For much of South Africa's post-isolation history, women's rugby has been seen as the stepchild, with little investment from sponsors and SA Rugby. However, over the past couple of years, things have begun to change, and the women's game in South Africa has seen some growth. Arrison, herself a former player, acknowledged that there has been improvement, but a lot more still needs to be done. A couple of weeks ago, England's Sarah Bern, considered by many as one of the icons of women's rugby, posted on social media that she started playing the game at the age of 10, something that's unheard of in South Africa. It's something that Arrison hopes will change one day. 'We're miles and miles behind [countries like New Zealand and England]. We are leap years behind where we should be, which is sad because we're a rugby nation. We have to become actively more involved in making sure we've got younger girls joining the system,' said Arrison. 'We have to start playing at a younger age, whether that be through clubs, schools, or junior competitions. We have to get our girls playing at a younger age. That's where SA Rugby needs to push harder, to convince principals and rugby coaches to allow girls at a younger age to start learning those skills. 'I only started playing semi-professionally at 19. Way too late. You can become coachable, but at the age of 19, it's too late. We need to have girls playing with a rugby ball at 6, 7, 8 years old, learning those finer skills, so that by the time they're 19, they can sign a full-time contract for 10-plus years. 'In terms of sponsorships and getting brands involved in sponsoring the Springbok Women, we've come such a long way with that and that's incredible. Now we need to start implementing all of this from a younger age to make sure we've got that pipeline growing. 'My dream is to see a Craven Week for women, where the best of the best from the schools get selected, then we have Under-18 teams that go on tour and we start developing all-round athletes from a young age.' If South Africa can take the first step by winning a pool game and reaching the knockout stages, it could spark the momentum needed to transform the women's game back home. For the players, it would be a breakthrough on the global stage; for the next generation of young girls with a rugby ball in their hands, it could be the inspiration that changes the future of the sport in the country. IOL Sport
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arkansas city boasts world's shortest St. Patrick's Day parade at 98 feet
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — Cities like New York and Chicago boast some of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades, attracting thousands of revelers and plenty of green beer. But a city in Arkansas has gained popularity over the years with its parade for an entirely different reason. The city of Hot Springs, a resort town known for its mineral-rich waters, promotes its 98-foot route as the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade. For more than two decades the city has held the parade on Bridge Street downtown, and it's become one of its biggest draws. It's even gained the attention of celebrities who have participated in the annual, short event, including actress Valerie Bertinelli and rap icon Flavor Flav. How the parade began Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said the idea began in 2003 when he and a group of friends were at a downtown restaurant 'drinking adult beverages' and the topic of St. Patrick's Day came up. 'We got to talking and said, well, why don't we have a parade?' Arrison said. The parade began the following year and drew about 1,500 people. More than 30,000 people watch the parade each year, organizers say. What's a 98-foot parade like? For the world's shortest, the parade packs in a lot. They'll have 40 different floats, and participants will include 100 members of a group of Elvis Presley impersonators known as the International Order of the Marching Irish Elvi. Another float will feature the local chapter of the International Society of Helen Ropers, with participants dressed up as the character from the 1970s sitcom, 'Three's Company'. The parade has also featured a celebrity grand marshal and parade starter, and over the years has included familiar names such as actor Kevin Bacon, 'Cheers' star George Wendt and country music star Justin Moore. This year, Bertinelli will be the grand marshal and Flav will be the official starter. The parade even created its own green version of the signature clock necklace Flav, a founding member of Public Enemy, is known for wearing. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have also participated in the parade for the past several years. The parade includes other events, including a concert and a 'Blarney Stone kissing contest.' Before the parade begins Monday, there's an official measuring of the route. Other short parades Other parades have tried to lay claim to being the shortest in recent years, including two cities in New York that dueled over who had the shortest parade. Another 78-pace parade was planned in Bemidji, Minnesota on Monday. The Hot Springs parade's organizers also keep up a feud with another parade in Adamsville, Rhode Island that claims its 89-foot route is the shortest. But Arrison dismisses their claim, noting that city's parade is held on the day before St. Patrick's Day. Arrison also notes that the Hot Springs event has copyrighted the title 'World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade.'
