Can’t afford it and need to save every penny that I have to pay bills. I went to the England and New Zealand game last week and I enjoyed it. Thankfully the delights of sky tv will enable me to watch this match. I’m also starting a business..

I'm thinking more about the getting off your and taking part bit

I can see that on a strictly amateur or even semi-pro level, I think my viewpoint kicks in when professional sports people are elevated to a position of demi-gods and their sport as the religion, for all the good that participation in sporting contest does for self awareness, fitness, confidence etc, there are negatives in nationalism, tribal affiliations and emphasis on massive financial rewards with the expectation that all young people have a right to earn similar amounts brings with it, a culture that says experience and hard work is not real life.

I’ve more than took part in the rugby league community over the years. I played it when I was younger and also been to see a grassroots final before. I also voice my opinion on here and has held a Leeds Rhinos season ticket for as long as I can remember. Got quite a bit of rugby league memorabilia as well.

I also remember going to see England v France game at Headingley a few year back. Went to Leeds Met v Loughbough sometime in the last few years as well. I’m so skint at the moment a mate offered to take me out but I’ve no transport money to get where I need to be!

Have they accepted your application to appear on Dragons Den ?

I went onto something similar years ago and I ended up getting and invitation to join some opening with Ken Bates. Sorry but its unforgivable for what he’s done to that club!

Quote: McLaren_Field "Ken Bates invited you to join him in a business venture ? Are you the person behind Yorkshire Radio ? Everything is becoming much clearer now.'" He was just opening a set of offices that I applied for! Never got one though Might have been the inspiration behind this recent set up though after my little meeting on how to run a rugby league club - www.therhinos.co.uk/fanzone/blue ... r_club.php

Quote: McLaren_Field "Ken Bates invited you to join him in a business venture ? Are you the person behind Yorkshire Radio ? Everything is becoming much clearer now.'" He was just opening a set of offices that I applied for! Never got one though Might have been the inspiration behind this recent set up though after my little meeting on how to run a rugby league club - www.therhinos.co.uk/fanzone/blue ... r_club.php

my views are as I work in sport and have accross all levels from disability sport to performance level rl and seeing the impact it has from day to day I place sport on at least a level footing with say maths or English in schools

partly agree with your sentiments re professional
sport, especially with regards to football, there is a sport I'd be happy to see the back of.

Not much English in schools these days though is they?

I look over the road and its like spot the natives.

My sister works in gymnastics although I can’t speak on her behalf but by the sounds of things you get a 50 / 50 audience like anything. Probably a lot of kids who do after school activities don’t want to and only go because they parents see it as cheap baby sitting for a few hours.

My brother in law was an amateur boxer from 12 years old upwards until he turned pro at 18, it definitely changed him and made him a much more grounded individual who now works in a professional capacity with young offenders.

My brother coaches rugby union up to under 12s and again they all get a lot out of it, at that age the emphasis is on participation and everyone who turns up gets a game, but especially at 11s and 12s you start to get the parental pressures and over-competitive coaches coming into play - and its very ugly.

You have to be 3 or 4 and extremely talented to get into elite training and the potential to star in the Olympics in gymnastics. My sisters had talented kids as young as seven and eight turned away from elitist gymnastic establishments because of they age.

Very ugly indeed.

I agree, that is a problem, we need volunteers in sport but so many are 'win win' at the detriment of player development at such a young age.

On parents, in a lot of cases amatuer clubs would be better without them, but in a lot of cases they do a great job and keep clubs running. Bit of a catch 22 in both cases, I belive coaches have a responisility to discipline both players and parents when needed

nope.