WITH a bit of support from the senior team, young members of the Drouin and Bunyip fire brigades have tasted success in Horsham at the Junior Urban State Championships.
Competing against 73 other brigades on 21 and 22 February, the local team returned its best results in nearly 20 years at a state championship, winning two events: the One Man Marshall and the Two Man Marshall.
It also placed second in two events: the Two Man Y Coupling and the Hitting First Disc Twice.
In a tough battle with a brigade from Tatura for the under-14s aggregate prize, it came down to the last event of the championships to determine who would win.
“We ran a very competitive time but Tatura bounced back and won the event just ahead of us by less than two seconds,” brigade member James Hall said.
“The young juniors aged from 11 to 15 displayed elite sportsmanship and as soon as Tatura ran their final event to secure the win, our team went and shook hands to congratulate Tatura on a great competition.
“This was noticed by officials off the track who were very impressed with their attitude and the way the juniors carried themselves with great demeanour.”
Junior coaches Tony Ward and Mitch Golding said they were extremely proud of the juniors’ efforts over the weekend, especially their commitment attending long training sessions each week at the track in Bunyip since October last year.
“Members from the senior team had made up a roster to help out the juniors each week with more skills and insight to the finer actions of the sport,” he said.
“The support paid off on the weekend.”
