Tom Besgrove looks to open new Coolamon junior rugby league club

School teacher and league player Tom Besgrove is at the helm of the new Coolamon Raiders junior rugby league club.

Playing league since he was a young child in Dunedoo, Besgrove said he's reached a point where he'd like to share his love for league beyond school sessions.

"I do a bit of rugby league for Riverina Sport for the secondary kids and it just kind of got to the stage where I wanted to try and provide that same opportunity out here for kids who want to play rugby league who maybe leave Coolamon to play elsewhere," Besgrove said.

"I've also got my wife and kids, so there's three that want to play, so it was just kind of to provide a bit of an opportunity for kids to do something else."

Seeking expressions of interest via Facebook, Besgrove said the idea has been well received, with parents of children between three and 13 asking for further information.

While registrations and team nominations are still a way off, he said garnering genuine interest is key to moving forward.

"I've had about 23 players, even though it's been parents who have nominated that their kids would be genuinely interested, which is pretty good considering it's something brand new," Besgrove said.

"It's been a real range of ages and as far as what team or teams we get, that part's still a little bit in the air, but if we had to start with just one team in any age, then that would be a fantastic start, and we would try and build from there."

He also has buy-in from NSW Rugby League and local NRL officers.

"We're very fortunate, I've had quite a bit of support from from Dave Skinner, James Smart, Emma James, and they all work in for New South Wales Rugby League and the NRL in Wagga, Zach Masters and other is another one, and they've all been incredibly helpful," Besgrove said.

"Without the support of those guys, without them it simply wouldn't happen.

"The support they've given to start with and to answer questions, figure out if it's viable, those are the ones who said we'll come and run some come and try days or help you get started with a logo, without them we wouldn't even get to this point."

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Over the coming months Besgrove will help facilitate come and try days locally in Coolamon for potential players to learn more about the sport.

"The next step is to host some come and try and then hopefully as interests continues to build, which I think it will, we'll look to have an AGM and really come together a committee up and going, " he said.

"We've had quite a few people reach out, who have got kids who are too young, who have reached out to say, look, we'd like to help, we'd like to get involved, so the next step is the come and try days and then hopefully we form a committee and then we begin to really work with the NRL guys to decide where we're going to play and fit into their current structure."

As for their name and colours, Besgrove said Raiders was an easy choice, with a senior club of the same name once operating in town.

Besgrove encouraged anyone interested in being involved with the club or nominating their child to get in contact via the club's Facebook page.

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