Anzac Day is always a day for reflection but for the Mittagong Lions Juniors it's also a chance to connect with the club's past, present and future.
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The Lions held their annual Anzac Day round at Mittagong Oval last Saturday, welcoming Narellan Jets, Warragamba Wombats and the Oran Park/Gregory Hills Chargers for games ranging from Under 6's to 16's.
While football took centre stage on the day, Club President Tim Murphy said the chance to work with the Mittagong RSL and tie the day in with their pathways program was priceless.
"That's part of the reason we've come up with the process with the sub branch," Murphy revealed.
"There were a couple of wreaths that were laid by two of our pathways ambassadors. Now part of our pathways program that's been running over the past six or seven years has been about education, not just on the field but off the field as well.
"So with the pathways program that revolves around our 15 to 16-year old players in the club we expose them to things such as nutrition and fitness but also drug and alcohol education through our partners at Youth Solutions in Campbelltown.
"We nominate two boys and two girls as pathways ambassadors and they're the leaders of the playing group and then they engage with certain roles that we require them to do throughout the year and one of those is obviously being forefront at the laying of the wreaths ceremony for Anzac Day."
Far from holding a mere service before games, the Lions have worked to build the day into the club's culture as evidenced by their commemorative Anzac jersey.
"The tradition is that those jerseys are worn once a year, only on the Anzac Day round and only for the under 16's team," he said.
"So it will be a lineage that as you progress through the years and when you come into the under 16's team you'll get that opportunity to wear that jersey.
"The jerseys that we've got as a supporter jersey we sell through the club but we've decided there will not be any numbers on those jerseys. The only numbered jerseys will be the ones that stay with the club and be utilised once every year just for that special game."
As well as marking a milestone for future players to strive towards it's also a way for one of Australia's oldest rugby league clubs to connect with their past.
Founded in the fateful year of 1914, the club has seen two World Wars as well as a host of other conflicts and Murphy said it was important to connect with older members who either served or had family and friends in uniform.
"From what I understand there was a lot of service, talking to the older members," Murphy said.
"The club was actually formed as a rugby league club in 1914, the same year as the start of the First World War, and continually throughout the last century there were players that have either been in the military, not just in Australia but overseas, and also played with the club.
"Sometimes I like to try and get down to the RSL and sit down with the old diggers and just try and hear a few stories and when they start to relate back to the club itself, some of them as juniors, some as seniors, it does bring a smile to their face.
"You can see the camaraderie that it brings out and it's been a positive experience for them throughout their lives."
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