When the North West Regional Youth Rugby Competition was introduced two years ago, it was a last-ditch effort to address dwindling junior numbers.
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Played of a Friday night and catering for teams from under-14s through to under-18s, it seems to have had the desired effect.
Last season around 1500 players laced up the boots and that is set to rise again with at least another dozen teams coming in this year, including The Armidale School.
"It's growing very fast," Central North juniors president Renee Park said.
"Obviously there was a need out there and we just had to put somewhere where they could play."
In response to growing female participation, this year they are also including a girls competition.
Park said they haven't got the final nominations yet, but the expectation is that they will play in hubs, similar to the boys.
She attributes the success of the competition to a few factors.
"I think Friday nights for that youth age group. They've all got other commitments on a weekend ... so Friday night it's done and dusted," she said.
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She also noted what a great atmosphere there is.
Most importantly though, she said it's "giving them an opportunity".
The growth is filtering through to the representative teams. The first of two trials for the Kookaburras junior sides was held in Tamworth on Sunday, and saw a good roll-up.
"We've got good numbers across every age group," Park said.
This year they have also added under-14s girls.
"That came about because NSW juniors are including them in the state champs this year. Unfortunately country juniors won't have them this year but they will for 2021 so we thought we'd give them an opportunity. They want to play, so it's a development year for them," Park said.
A second trial will be held at Gunnedah's Donnelly St Fields on Sunday, kicking-off at 9am for the boys' under-12s, 13s, 14s and 15s, and 12.30pm for the boys' under-16s and opens, and girls' under-14s, 16s and 18s.
The squads will be finalised after. They will then go into a two-day intensive development camp at Lake Keepit.
The 12, 13 and 14s boys will be the first of the Kookaburras sides to hit the field with their Country Championships at Nelson Bay on May 2 and 3.
The Friday night competition is set to kick-off on a Saturday, with the first round to be held on March 21 coinciding with the Super Rugby clash between the NSW Waratahs and Bulls.
"We're calling it our super round," Park said.
It will be a "very big weekend" with the Kookaburras sides playing Mid North Coast on the Sunday.
