'Participation in sport brings us so many benefits'

That was something shown brilliantly when I attended the Dragons Allstars team awards at the weekend in Cwmbran. Dragons Allstars are an inclusive touch rugby team, who bring the joy of playing rugby to a wide range of players between six and sixty, with and without disabilities.

The benefits of sport and exercise, both to our physical and mental health, are well-known. But three words came up on the screen at the start of their awards presentation.

Courage. Friendship. Determination.

Those words, for me, say so much about what a great game rugby is. The courage to take on difficult challenges, on and off the pitch. The value of friendship, about being a part of something and knowing that none of us are alone in the world. A good team like the Allstars is a real family, looking out for each other. The friends I’ve played sport with have been friends for life. Determination is another great quality – not giving up if things don’t always go the way you wanted them to. I can see the players at the Allstars learning about those three words and much more.

Clubs like the Dragons Allstars only come about because of the dedication of volunteers who give up their time to help. So to everyone involved, thank you. You can be proud of the team that you have built and the ethos that stands behind it.

As a volunteer sports coach myself, my proudest memories aren’t about players who’ve made it at a high level, great though that is. The players I remember most are the ones who started as painfully shy, nervous children facing challenges and grew more confident, braver and brighter through enjoying playing the game.

At all our sports clubs around Torfaen, thank you to those who give up their time to help. It might be stressful at times, there might not be enough hours in the day – but what you do makes a huge difference.

As a council leader, I’ve tried to build a council that works with our clubs and helps them to grow and deliver.

I know there are frustrations - funding is always tight for grassroots sport. But in the past few years, we’ve helped out local clubs with renewable energy projects, expansion projects and applications for outside funding.

After hearing pleas for action when we only had one modern artificial 3G surface in the Borough, I worked hard to help deliver new facilities which are up and running.

But I want to do more, for a wider range of sports. For example the growing game of pickleball, where we’re trying to help groups meet the rising demand and get people active. Or on wheeled sports, where we’ve secured funding for the new skate park and pump track facilities we want to bring to Pontypool.

Together with out volunteers in a huge rage of sports across the Borough, we can inspire future generations and get people fitter, heathier and more socially connected. But it all comes back to those three words. Courage, friendship, determination.