By Lucy Waldron
The Vic Jensen Cup, an integral part of the Queensland representative school sport, is more than just a rugby league tournament for under 10 and 11-year-olds.
This year, the Stanthorpe region had the honour of hosting the Vic Jensen Rugby League Invitational, bringing significant benefits to the community and highlighting the importance of youth sports.
Stanthorpe Gremlins Rugby League president Roger O’Brien said after about 12 years, the town was lucky enough to host the event again.
“It’s always great to showcase our facilities and a wonderful setup at Sullivan Oval,” Mr O’Brien said.
“These events are massive, not only for our club, which benefits from revenue through the canteen and other activities but also for the wider district and the community of Stanthorpe.”
The event is a five-day tournament, running from Saturday through Wednesday, with 10 teams participating from all over Queensland. Each team includes 15 players, along with coaches, managers, and trainers, bringing the total number of participants to around 200. With parents and supporters also attending, the event draws a considerable number of visitors to the region.
“Being part of the school holidays, mums and dads come for the footy, but many also venture out to explore local wineries, cafes, and restaurants. They’re certainly spending money and enjoying the local attractions, turning the event into a bit of a holiday,“ O’Brien said.
The Stanthorpe Chamber of Commerce used the event as an opportunity to get as many businesses involved as possible and circulate the economic growth this influx of people would create.
Chamber president Graham Parker said the influx of visitors has led to increased patronage for local accommodations, cafes, restaurants, and shops, providing a significant boost to the local economy.
“Events like this fill the town, you won’t be able to get accommodations in town because it brings so many people,” Mr Parker said.
Local businesses enthusiastically embraced the event, with 10 businesses adopting a team from the 10 visiting teams and decorating their storefronts with balloons.
“This initiative helped spread the word about the event and got people enthusiastic. The business community supporting the sports community is wonderful to see” Mr Parker said.
Southern Downs Regional Council Councillor Russell Wantling, whose portfolio includes sports and sporting facilities echoed this sentiment.
“We often hear about the physical and mental health benefits of sport, but there’s a notion that sports don’t contribute much to the local economy of the Southern Downs,” Cr Wantling said.
“I can guarantee you that this week every accommodation house, fuel station, coffee shop, restaurant, and retail outlet would strongly disagree. Having these visitors in our region for at least four nights has been a huge boost.
“Sporting events like this one provide an immediate economic lift, and the number of parents from all over Queensland who said they would be back was unbelievable.”
Cr Wantling said there was some great football on display throughout the week, and the enthusiasm for the sport from all the teams, along with the excellent sportsmanship instilled at such a young age, is a testament to everyone involved.
For the young athletes, the Vic Jensen Cup represents an opportunity to compete at a high level and strive for representative teams.
“The level of football from these 10 and 11-year-olds has been amazing to watch. For them to be rewarded into the representative teams is a real coup. Kids from Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Warwick, and surrounding areas all strive to make Darling Downs teams in all sports. It’s a nice level to get to,“ Mr O’Brien said.
The Vic Jensen Cup has not only fostered young talent in rugby league but also strengthened community ties and bolstered the local economy, making it a vital event for Stanthorpe.
“It’s wonderful that we get sporting teams from all across Queensland to come to our region. The economic impact and the sense of community it brings are invaluable. We can’t underestimate the value of sports to the wider business community and the wider community,“ Mr Parker said.
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