This week Bill Carne meets up with Jamie Meek, who is a Gold Young Ambassador at STP School, and is working hard to organise a rugby festival for junior school girls as part of his remit to encourage sporting participation...

JAMIE Meek is a sixth form student at Tasker Milward School and is putting a great deal of commitment into his role as a Gold Young Ambassador there as he tries to encourage others to gain the same sort of satisfaction in a wide range of sporting and leisure activities that he has discovered in rugby.

Jamie has played for a few clubs where his father Graham Badham has coached juniors and has shown a willingness to play in any position that would be of good to the team – but has also acted as touch judge with younger players and is now a qualified Level One referee and officiating at as many matches as he can fit in order to gain experience.

He has worked closely with Rominy Colville, who has been until now the Active Young Persons Officer at the school and is already looking forward to helping Wyndham Williams when he takes over.

“Rominy offered me the chance at the start of year 12 to become a silver ambassador,” said Jamie, “and a year after I was attending a conference in Cardiff City Stadium to become a Gold YA. From this, I have learnt the importance of involving young people in sport as they are the future of it.

“Not only have I run club and activities, I also assisted in running workshops to train new bronze and silver YA’s in the Archive centre. I was also present at Sport Pembrokeshire Awards 2015 where I opened our ‘Young Ambassador’ speech, and been to conferences with YA’s from Mid and West Wales.”

With regard to those activities that encourage youngsters to be active in Tasker Milward, they include things like roller blading (although Jamie confesses he encourages there, rather than participates) and Rush Hockey, which is fast and furious on a small pitch, with no goalkeepers and the emphasis on good fun!

Jamie has also helped introduce girls’ football, alongside colleague Albert Ugwudike, and there has been a really good take up so far.

But his biggest challenge comes from an idea gained at a conference in Carmarthen – and as a he result he is holding a rugby festival for girls from junior schools from Haverfordwest Milford Haven, Pembroke and Narberth.

“So far we have 12 teams but there is still room for more when it takes place at Haverfordwest RFC, with the backing of the club, led by Mrs Delyth Summons, whilst Ben Field, Jo Williams, Rominy Colville and Co at Sport Pembrokeshire have been hugely supportive. Mike King (Regional Rugby Co-Ordinator with the WRU) and Lloyd Phillips (hub officer for our school) are also heavily involved.”

With regard to his own rugby, Jamie started playing for Llangwm Wasps at Under 9s age level after he turned up on a Sunday morning at Pill Parks and went straight into a game where he also scored his first try.

“When I first played, I barely knew what I was doing on the pitch,” admitted Jamie, “but I was really enthusiastic and at the end of season presentation I was presented with the most improved player.

“I found myself often playing scrum half but as I moved up age groups I regularly played on the wing. During the summer, at the end of the Under 11s season, I transferred from Llangwm to Pembroke where I became a utility back, covering the wings and fullback position and my best memory for the Scarlets was coming on as a sub at half time, away to Fishguard, and scoring two second half tries.

“At U15s level, I moved to Haverfordwest where I played up a year for the U16’s, a team that were struggling for numbers. During that one season I played in all positions across the back line, apart from fly half.

“But in our final season at Haverfordwest RFC Under 16s, coached by Jeff Clout, we won the district cup and league, completing the double by winning every game with players of the calibre of Kyle Williams, Jonathan Clout, Jake Evans and Dax Leggett. The only disappointment of that season was losing up at Parc y Scarlets to Carmarthen Quins in our final game together.

“During that season I played second row. There was one match where I was meant to return to the wing against Narberth; however they didn’t have the numbers so I played a full match as blindside flanker. I once had a go at prop but thankfully there were uncontested scrums!

“I often helped my dad, Graham Badham, coach his teams when he was down in Pembroke, where we led them to all district cup finals that they could get to. During their run of cup matches that led to the finals I would help run the lines. After Pembroke, my dad moved to Milford and so did my twin brothers Ieuan and Ewan, and they made it to the final on their first attempt at Under 13’s and are currently working their way to another which I hope I will be able to watch as I have been asked to ref and run the lines on cup day.

“I started reffing last September when Milford Haven RFC paid for me to go on my Level One Referee Course. The thing about being a ref is that without us, the kids wouldn’t get to play. Sunday morning are all about the young boys and girls wanting to play the sport. I’ve refereed matches from U7’s to Under 14’s. I hope to increase my referee level by doing my level 2 and then hopefully get invited to do my Level 3 and become a top flight ref.

So now Jamie is really looking forward to the festival, which is to be held at Haverfordwest on the 18th May, where he hopes lots of families and friends to turn up and watch rugby played for fun all day.

His enthusiasm has brought about its development and we wish him every success because he deserves to do well!