“You can’t be a leader without the people behind you.” – so says Year 11 student, Charlie Bradley, based his experience as Tour Captain on the Victorian Schools’ Rugby Union (VSRU) international trip in December 2018.
Charlie, who began playing rugby in Year 8 at Wadhurst, was selected alongside Year 11 student, James Slaviero, to be part of the Under 16 Victorian team. Over the three-and-a-half-week tour, the team played in the UK, Ireland and Belgium, winning 12 of their 14 games.
As Tour Captain, Charlie’s role not only involved acting as a spokesperson for the team, but also managing the day-to-day workings and challenges of touring overseas with a group of young men.
“Rugby-wise I learned a great deal, but I learned a lot more about supporting the people around me,” Charlie says. “You never know when you’ll need to lead again, so it was great to build skills in that area. I learned that leadership is definitely a collaboration. If you only dictate, the team won’t respect that.”
“When selecting Charlie, we wanted someone who would represent Australia, Victoria and rugby as an ambassador,” says Mr Rob Shields, Melbourne Grammar School’s Teacher in Charge of Rugby. Mr Shields served as Team Manager on the tour and was also on the selection panel that created the touring team. “The key to Charlie’s leadership was his reliability and his ability to articulate a message confidently – even when he was exhausted after a game,” he says.
“The games themselves were a huge highlight,” Charlie adds. “I especially liked being walked onto the ground by a Scottish bagpipe player before one of our games. But I also really enjoyed the opportunity to do some sightseeing on the trip and to learn more about Australia’s cultural heritage, including our war memorials. That’s a part of our history we can’t forget.”
Charlie is still considering where his career path will lead him after Year 12, but he knows rugby will be one of his passions. “It’s not just a game, it’s a brotherhood,” he says. “It’s putting your body on the line for your brothers.”
