GOLD COAST TITANS 2019 COMMUNITY WRAP TOGETHER › PDRL › HOLIDAY CLINICS › COMMUNITY AWARDS › NAIDOC WEEK › DEADLY FUTURES + MORE TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER 3 TITANS COMMUNITY WRAP. The Gold Coast Titans donation of a new surfboard to the Disabled Community Foundation Surfers Association in October. celebrated numerous success stories and milestones in 2019, These are only some of the donations, connecting further with the hundreds of volunteer hours devoted to local community and working educational, social improvement and rugby with new and existing corporate league programs the Titans deliver every partners to create a better life year in support of the Gold Coast and for the people in our region that Northern Rivers communities. need a helping hand. The Titans are very proud of the Titans Community Foundation’s reputation and This year, the Titans continued our support recognition throughout the National Rugby of local schools, clubs, charities and League for the initiatives it delivers, and the community organisations through our results it achieves. programs, appearances and donations. In 2019, the Titans’ playing group spent 1,955 But this hard work and the success it hours at 335 appearances, and donated delivers could only be achieved with more than $300,000 worth of merchandise, the support of our incredible family of memorabilia and tickets. sponsors, partners and donors, who share our passion and commitment to make a These success stories were recorded better life for the people of our community. and celebrated during the year on titans. com.au – from the “Come and Try Day” for Here is a brief run-down of some of the players in our Physical Disabilities Rugby success stories enjoyed by the Titans League Program in February, through to the Community Foundation in 2019. TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER 4 5 There’s One of the major success stories of the Titans PDRL team through the company’s the season was the continued rise charity arm, Condev Cares. of the Gold Coast Titans Physical Titans apparel partner Dynasty Sport also a place Disabilities Rugby League team. threw their support behind the Titans PDRL team by donating the squad’s playing kit. The dream of the Gold Coast Titans PDRL side playing in a full-scale competition took The team won that first game 16-4, with the another leap forward this year, starting with Cbus Super Stadium transformed into a field in the the hugely successful PDRL “Come and Try of dreams on Easter Sunday as the Titans Day” at Parkwood. PDRL team turned it on in just their second game together. Every player that makes their debut for the Titans is celebrated with a special ceremony, In July, the team won its first “international” – game for welcoming them to their place in the club’s beating visiting English side Wakefield Trinity. history. September saw the team chalk up one final win in their magical season. Returning to where it all began some 12 months ago, the team put together a solid effort against Northern United Invitational to PDRL. secure a quality 28-10 win. The heartwarming success of the Titans In April, the PDRL team were honoured in the PDRL team’s creation was captured by the same way, officially becoming Titans as they ABC’s Compass program, which aired its were presented with their jerseys ahead of special “Leagueability” documentary on the their first exhibition game for the year against team in May. a Gold Coast Legends Invitational team. This behind-the-scenes look at the team’s The players received their jerseys from Titans creation, leading up to their first game, was Executive Chairman Dennis Watt, former a credit to the extraordinary men and their Titan Clinton Toopi, and Lee Masters and proud families who now call themselves Andy Baxter from Condev Construction – Titans, and was nominated for a Walkley who came on board as the major sponsor of Award for excellence in journalism. TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER 6 7 SCHOOL HOLIDAY CLINICS Hundreds of kids joined their Titans heroes during the school holidays to participate in clinics to learn new skills, make new friends and have a lot of fun playing rugby league. Over 100 kids headed to Coolangatta beach for our clinic in January. Participants and players mingled in the sand and surf mixing up footy activities with learn to surf and beach safety provided by Walkin’ on Water. Corporate partner Zambrero, ensured everyone received a great meal during the day. During the Easter break, nearly 300 kids converged at either the Titans High Performance Centre at Parkwood or Tweed Heads Seagulls to catch up with the Titans players. The Titans of the future were able spend a day being put through training drills and exercises to improve their skills on the same field where their modern-day NRL heroes go through their paces every week. In July, the Titans playing group headed to Burleigh Bears to help put the Titans of tomorrow through their paces. It continues to be the biggest clinic of the year with over 220 kids taking part in the day. The Titans team were kept on their toes by the exciting participants showing off their skills and doing their best impressions of their favourite players. The Titans partnered with NRL Development to run the clinics during the year with each participant receiving a great NRL Titans pack. Each clinic had a series of drills and exercises, where the emphasis was on fun, working as a team and improving individual skills. All clinics catered for boys and girls, aged 5-12, with Burleigh Bears and Tweed Heads Seagulls hosting a specialised development clinic for boys and girls aged 13-16. The Burleigh clinic also had an all-abilities group join in the activities. TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER 8 Holly Summers COMMUNITY AWARDS. The NRL Community Awards acknowledge the unsung heroes that help to make ours the Greatest Game of All, and this year the Titans had three nominations to celebrate. The Titans Deadly Futures program was nominated for the Community Program of the Year Award, Michael Gordon was nominated for the Ken Stephen Medal for service to the community, while Holly Summers was nominated for the NRL Community Young Person of the Year Award. In a proud moment for Holly and the Titans, in September she was named as the winner of this prestigious award that recognises people aged between 12 and 24, who participated in an NRL Community or NRL Club program, and contributed to their community through rugby league. Holly has participated in the Titans Deadly “It’s amazing, she Futures program and is currently a definitely deserves it. participant of the NRL School to Work program. She’s a young leader Holly is the school captain of Pacific Pines State in society, and I don’t High School, and represented the Titans at the know if she knows 2018 NRL Indigenous All Stars Youth Leadership it yet, but she could Summit, where she was voted Female Youth really have a massive TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER Ambassador runner-up from 30 other female impact in Australia.” COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER applicants. 10 - Ryan James 11 Titans player Jai Whitbread RUGBY LEAGUE & Michael Singh, winner of the Robina Town Centre Titans Teacher Ambassador COMPETITIONS. of the Year Award Nine weeks of fantastic footy action culminated with a massive day of rugby league in June, with the grand finals of the Titans Schools Boys Competition and the Karyn Murphy Cup. The NRL Titans School Boys Competition and NRL Titans Karyn Murphy Cup are both proudly supported by Robina Town Centre, and are a proven breeding ground for rugby TEACHER league talent. This year, more than 55 boys and girls teams from across the region started the AMBASSADOR competitions with dreams of being crowned champions. Titans School Boys Competition Titans Karyn Murphy Cup YR 7/8 Bowl Year 7/8 Pool B St Francis 38 d Coombabah B 14 Palm Beach Currumbin SHS d Keebra Park School is most definitely in for The event was a “thank-you” to the Titans SHS – 20-16 the Gold Coast Titans Teacher YR 7/8 Challenge Teacher Ambassadors for their hard work Ambassador Program, with the Stretton 22 d Coombabah 18 Year 7/8 Pool A in spreading the rugby league gospel, number of registrations sky- Keebra Park SHS d St Francis College (1) 20-4 and delivering the Titans’ award-winning YR 9/10 Plate rocketing from 99 to an amazing community and educational programs to Robina 26 d St Michael’s 6 Year 9/10 Pool B 200 ambassadors for 2019. Beenleigh SHS d Trinity College 24-8 school children in the region. YR 9/10 Shield More than 50 of those teacher ambassadors Our teacher ambassadors were also Marymount 26 d Keebra 24 Year 9/10 Pool A Beenleigh SHS d Keebra Park SHS 24-16 were on hand to enjoy an exclusive invitation- recognised at the Titans Community Awards, YR 11/12 Trophy only event at the Titans’ trial match against with Michael Singh from Merrimac State Chisholm 26 d Keebra 12 Year 11/12 the Broncos at Cbus Super Stadium on School winning the Robina Town Centre Keebra Park SHS d Beenleigh SHS 28-4 Saturday 2 March. Titans Teacher Ambassador of the Year YR 11/12 Cup Award. Marymount 34 d Keebra 0 TITANS COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER COMMUNITYTITANS NEWSLETTER 12 13 Ryan James & Preston Campbell NAIDOC More than 1,000 people made the most of a pristine winter’s day in July by joining the Titans NAIDOC Day celebrations at Firth Park in Mudgeeraba. With over 100 stalls to visit at this free community event, run in partnership with Kalwun Health and Deadly Choices, the Titans NAIDOC celebration is an opportunity to learn and embrace Aboriginal and Strait Torres Islander culture while having fun with family and friends.