At 62, Rose Leamon is still setting the pace.The long-time ocean swimmer stunned herself - and much of the field - by winning her age category at this year’s Coal Classic 5km ocean swim, also finishing ninth overall among all female competitors.“I honestly thought if I was lucky, I’d be battling for third or fourth,” Leamon said.Last year, she missed the podium by a fraction, finishing fourth by just one-hundredth of a second. This time, she stood on top of it.“I’m blown away,” she said. “It was unexpected, but I’m absolutely delighted.”The win marks her third of the year, just the previous weekend she won the 60 Plus race at the 2.2km Mollymook Ocean Swim, while on 8 February she led the pack home in the 60 Plus category of the North Bondi Classic 2km event.Leamon has been swimming most of her life. Raised on a farm in northern New South Wales, she joined swim squads at 11 and never really stopped - apart from a decade-long break after moving to Sydney for her first job.It was in her late 20s that she discovered ocean swimming, encouraged by former Olympian and coach Graham Brewer to take her pool fitness into the surf.“At that time, ocean swimming as a sport was still developing. There was no peak body, and only about 10 Sydney beaches hosted swims, mostly as surf club fundraisers,” she said.“I was 29 when I did my first event - the Palm Beach to Whale Beach swim, about 2.5 kilometres - and I’ve never stopped since. I fell in love with it straight away.”Unlike pool swimming, which centres on short, explosive races, the ocean offered rhythm and continuity - no tumble turns, no lane ropes, just open water and steady pace.“I like continuous swimming. Just getting into a rhythm and getting lost in the moment,” she said. “It feels nurturing - like being enveloped in a big hug.”Rose at the North Bondi Classic. Photo: Gerringong Surf ClubNow a member of the Werri Point Swimmers in Gerringong, Leamon has been so enthusiastic about the support she’s received from the group.“The group is wonderfully supportive. Most members swim for enjoyment, saltwater immersion and connection rather than competition, but they’re incredibly encouraging of those of us who race,” she said.The Coal Classic was one of her main goals of the season and in addition to winning her over-50 age category, Leamon’s ninth-place overall female finish was particularly meaningful given the event’s broad age divisions.“They only have two categories - under 50 and over 50 - and I’m 62,” she said. “So to come ninth overall was a real surprise.”While the podium finish was a thrill, it’s clear what keeps her returning to the water.“It’s the community, the rhythm, the ocean,” she said. “I just love it.”Next on Rose’s list is The Captain Christie at Werri Beach on 18 April.

Kiama Downs Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) held the inaugural Kiama Lifeguards Shootout at Jones Beach on Saturday afternoon, bringing together lifeguards from this season and previous years for a fun end-of-season competition.The event saw participants riding rescue boards and being judged on their performance in the surf.“It was a bit of fun overall - that was the theme of the day - but it was also about the guys and girls showcasing their skills on the rescue boards,” said Kiama Downs SLSC lifeguard Joel Trist. Some of the action at Jones Beach last weekend. Photo: Joel Trist“It’s the sort of thing that can be utilised day-to-day when they’re out there on the job.”The competition featured guest judges, including Drew Cairncross, who previously competed in Ironman events, and a member from Wollongong Council.“They had a bit of fun judging throughout the day as the rounds went on,” he said.Blake Rogers and Tom Fennelly faced off in the final, with Fennelly ultimately taking the win.Conditions exceeded expectations, with organisers initially anticipating rain and large surf.“We were really lucky,” Trist said. “It ended up being a really nice sunny day with some really fun waves down at Jones Beach.”Beyond the competition, the event also served to strengthen team bonds.“A lot of us don’t get the chance to work with each other throughout the season because we’re on different shifts,” he said. “It’s good camaraderie - getting everyone together for a fun time - while also showcasing our skills. There was a bit of carnage as well, which is always a good laugh.”Although the patrol season officially wrapped up the previous weekend, the shootout acted as a celebratory finale.Reflecting on the season, Trist described it as a positive one overall.“We had a few rainy days here and there, but overall it was probably better than other seasons in terms of the number of rescues we had to do,” he said.A new recruit this year, Trist said he had found the experience rewarding, working alongside more seasoned lifeguards such as Brendan Wall, who has more than 20 years’ experience.“Overall, it was really enjoyable - it’s always good to be down at the beach helping out the community,” he said.

In a rain-affected week for Kiama Cricket Club, only two lower-grade matches went ahead, with the fourth-graders keeping their finals hopes alive.After three straight losses, the Cavaliers travelled to Albion Park looking to revive their season.Kiama won the toss and elected to bat, with openers William and Glenn Coghlan putting on a 22-run partnership to give the visitors a steady start.Two strong middle-order stands of 71 and 55 runs lifted Kiama to 187 from 35 overs.“Adam McCrone once again exerted his dominance, blasting 50 not out from 34 balls while sharing a strong partnership with his son Reilly, who made 38 from 74,” said Kiama Cavaliers president Bernie Brown.“Ollie Wilson shone in the latter overs, posting 41 not out from 40.”Kiama struck early with the ball, with Giles Brown claiming a wicket in the opening over to leave Albion Park at 1-0.“Giles has been fantastic with the ball this season, taking regular wickets with accuracy,” Brown said.Brown removed the second opener in his next over, but Albion Park’s middle order responded to reach 4-128 and threaten the chase.However, Kiama’s bowlers regained control, restricting Albion Park to 7-163 from their 35 overs as the required run rate climbed out of reach.Giles Brown finished with three wickets, while McCrone, Wilson and Tyson Crawford claimed one apiece.“Fourth grade have their final round this week before heading into the finals on 14 March,” Brown said. “It’s been an excellent effort from a great development squad of fathers and sons.”Third grade also took the field in a reduced-overs match due to poor outfield conditions.“Batting first, the Cavs started slowly in the first 10 overs due to some tight swing bowling and heavy field conditions,” Brown said.Kiama found themselves in trouble at 2-31 before a 46-run partnership between Nathan Battishall (22) and opener Brendan Czulowski (46) steadied the innings, helping the Cavaliers post 7-139.In reply, Kiama started well with disciplined bowling from Rob Denny and Darcy Parker, who finished with 2-15.“Although several crucial chances were put down at key stages, allowing the Kookas to pass the total with two overs to spare,” Brown said.Third grade are out of finals contention but will play Lake Illawarra this Saturday in their final match of the season.This week, first grade face Bomaderry at Artie Smith Oval and will be looking to secure a win to cement their finals spot. Second grade host Lake Illawarra and remain an outside chance of playing finals with a victory.The Cavettes’ final game was abandoned, with the side finishing the season one place outside the top four.

Lake Illawarra have clinched the minor premiership but the other three spots in the South Coast cricket semi-finals will be decided in this Saturday’s final round.Rain caused havoc with the penultimate round on the weekend with three of the five matches abandoned without a ball being bowled - Kookas vs Kiama at Oakleigh Park, Bay and Basin vs Bomaderry at Sanctuary Point, Oak Flats vs Ex Servos at Geoff Shaw Oval.Lake thumped Shellharbour to lock up first spot while North Nowra Cambewarra beat last-placed Albion Park at Bernie Regan Sportsground to move to just one point behind Kiama, who are clinging to fourth. North Nowra need to upset the Lakers this Saturday at Howard Fowles Oval in their bid to steal fourth spot from the Cavaliers. Kiama are away to Bomaderry, who could leap into the playoff equation from sixth if they win and North Nowra go down. Third-placed Bay and Basin have technically not yet qualified but should be able to account for Ex Servos to ensure at least one Shoalhaven side figures in the semis.Lake wrapped up top spot over second-placed Shellharbour after skipper Kerrod White’s 105 guided them to 235.Veteran batter Brendan White provided strong support with 48 as Alex Brown (3-39) and Noah Wraight (3-27) led the way for the Harbour attack.In reply they lost two early wickets and despite 53 from opener Jacob Coleman, they fell well short of their target, all out for 164 thanks to Jaycob Constantinou’s 3-14 and Ryan Smith chipping in with 3-17.North Nowra were in early trouble at 3-39 against Albion Park but Nathan Thomas carved out a fine captain’s knock of 77 to propel them to 163.Kynan Barton (3-54) was the pick of the Eagles bowlers but their top order crumbled to be 4-15 and they only managed 82 to remain in wooden spoon territory heading into the final round.Cooper Bramley, Jason Moschioni and Matthew Hickmott struck three times each for the hosts.Park need an upset on home turf against Shellharbour this Saturday to avoid finishing last while the Kookas are away to the Rats in the other fixture.Ladder: Lake 104, Harbour 87, Bay and Basin 83, Kiama 79, North Nowra 78, Bomaderry 71, Rats 45, Ex Servos 40, Kookas 39, Park 35.In the women’s competition, Lake Illawarra clinched the final playoff spot ahead of Kiama after rain washed away the final round.The Lakers will face Kookas in one semi with the two Oak Flats teams - the Ratettes and Ratatouilles facing off in the other sudden-death clash.Ladder: Kookas 48, Ratettes, Ratatouilles 32, Lake 30, Kiama 24, Ex Servos 22, Park 20, Harbour 8.

Gerringong junior Hamish Stewart produced an impressive first performance of the NRL season as St George Illawarra went down in heart-breaking fashion to Canterbury in Las Vegas.The Dragons and Bulldogs battled out an extra-time thriller in the second match at Allegiant Stadium after Newcastle had beaten North Queensland 28-18 in the opening match of the double-header to open the season.Stewart played 67 minutes of the match which went the distance, including two five-minute golden-point periods, with Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton booting the winning field goal in controversial circumstances.Dragons prop Ryan Couchman was penalised by referee Grant Atkins for stripping the ball from Bronson Xerri but replays indicated the Bulldogs centre may have made a fumble and St George Illawarra should have got possession in the 90th minute.Crichton kicked the decisive one-pointer from the ensuing set to pull off a dramatic win. Stewart peeled off 46 tackles with just one miss while the lock also made 76 metres from his nine hit-ups. Dragons coach Shane Flanagan was fuming about the penalty which ultimately decided the contest."It's a loose carry. Every day of the week, without a doubt," he said."We didn't get the rub of the green, that's for sure. Disappointing, but it wasn't decided in my view the right way."The game has been put on a real high pedestal. I just thought it shouldn't have been decided the way it was."Good luck to the Bulldogs, they were good enough to win and kick the field goal. That's skill."But I think we should have gone home one point each."St George Illawarra have time off this weekend while the other six matches of the opening round are played out before they host Melbourne Storm at WIN Stadium next Saturday (14 March) while the Bulldogs have the bye in round two.

KIAMA SEVENS RUGBY UNION - THE KIAMA TEAM

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Kiama turned on a picture perfect Saturday for the 54th annual sevens tournament with Friday’s rain clearing to produce a great spectacle for the fans who flocked to the Showground at Chittick Oval.Sydney clubs Manly and Gordon emerged triumphant in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively with each side pocketing $6000 each in prizemoney.The men’s final was interrupted at half-time by a small bunch of male streakers who ran onto the field before disappearing towards Surf Beach.Manly drew first blood in the final with a superb interchange of passing leading to the opening try.After a scrappy restart, they regathered the ball and spun it wide for a 12-0 advantage.When Angus Bell broke free down the right edge and sprinted away for a 17-0 margin, the match looked all but over before half-time.They added another five-pointer as the siren sounded to take a 22-point lead into the break.With light rain starting to fall during the twilight decider, Easts’ hopes of throwing the ball around to get back into the contest were made even harder.They managed to open their account with a try after a Manly player was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements.Kiama advanced to the country final on home turf. Photo: Brian ScottMarlins speedster Will Hayes spilled the ball with the line wide open after a kick downfield but they added a converted try a short time later to put the result beyond doubt.Manly's Dally Bird was named the player of the tournament, receiving his award from Wallabies legend Glen Ella.In the women’s final, Sydney side Gordon took down the Hunter Wildfires from Newcastle 19-5.Gordon opened the scoring with a sweeping backline movement down the right flank for an early 7-0 lead.They extended their lead by five with a runaway try late in the first half.Hunter had a chance to narrow the gap early in the second stanza after a hopeful kick downfield but they fumbled the ball with the tryline beckoning.Young Yabbettes score a try against Forest RC. Photo: Brian ScottThe Novocastrians cut the deficit to seven with a try midway through the second stanza.Gordon looked to land the killer blow with a long-range try but desperate Wildfires defence kept them out but after earning a penalty, the Highlanders plunged over from close range for the match-winner.Kiama qualified for the final of the Men’s Country division but went down 17-7 to Northlakes United team from Budgewoi.They started the day with a 28-0 shut-out of the Orange Emus and backed that up with a 22-10 triumph over Molong.Kiama produced a 22-17 victory over Wagga Readies in their third pool game to qualify for the final.Former St George Illawarra NRL star Talatau Amone, who was a key part of Kiama's Illawarra grand final win last year, was a standout performer at the Sevens tournament.In the women’s second division decider, Northlakes were way too strong for Young, winning 41-12 while Jindabyne edged out Bateman Bay 19-5 for the women’s country crown.Gunghalin Eagles downed Blue Mountains 31-7 to take out the Bowl final while Western Sydney Two Blues thumped NSW country outfit Leeton in the runners-up final at Chittick Oval.A total of 28 men's teams and 16 women's sides competed at the annual event with $30,000 in prizemoney dished out on the day.

The Kiama Rugby Sevens will not just deliver nearly 12 hours of high-octane sporting action on Saturday but a seven-figure windfall for the local economy.Despite the wet weather, Kiama Council on Friday gave tournament organisers the go-ahead despite forecast of more wet weather possibly being on the way on Saturday. Running for the 54th year, the iconic annual event kicks off at Kiama Showground and Chittick Oval at 8am on Saturday with matches running on both fields throughout the day.A helicopter will deliver the trophies late in the afternoon before the semis and finals are held for the men’s and women’s country divisions, as well as the Bowl and Plate categories leading into the women’s final at 6.30pm and the premier men’s decider at 6.50pm.The winning teams in the two main finals receive $6000 each with the runners-up pocketing $3500.Tournament director Mark Bryant said Saturday’s event was shaping up to be one not to be missed.“Everything is done preparation wise, we've filled 44 teams back in November and then we had a few teams pull out and we've had to adjust.“The grounds are coming up quite well. You can't get a room in town because of all the teams - everything is full.“The weather is looking like it's gonna be about 23 degrees and overcast which is actually perfect weather for rugby. You don’t want it too hot.”It’s not just a sporting event but a driver of economic benefit to Kiama.“Through Destination Kiama, we do a post-event report and we bring in $1 million to the town for the weekend. For all the licensed outlets, this is the biggest night of year for them,” Bryant added.And the standard of play is set to be sky high with Shute Shield teams and a squad from the Brisbane GPS lining up.“Manly won the Hamilton Sevens, Warringah Rats are always up there, UTS Gordon will be really strong. Southern Districts are coached by Kiama’s own former Wallabies player Scott Fava so they will go well.“GPS Brisbane are not going to travel all this way and not give it a shake.“In the women’s, Manly and UTS Gordon are always up there and one of the dark horses this year will be Hunter Wildfires from up in Newcastle.”Illawarra premiers Kiama will be taking part in the country division with Wagga Wagga Reddies, Orange Emus and Northlakes likely to be their main competition.“The good thing about the country cup is that it’s pretty even and it could come down to a ref’s call or a bounce of the ball,” Bryant said.Tickets are still available from kiamasevens.com.

This week's edition of The Bugle is filled with a range of local news and views from our South Coast community.Our main story is about local environmental concerns caused by waste matter being washed down the coast from Sydney as well as the need to upgrade the Bombo wastewater treatment plant.CLICK HERE TO READ OUR DIGITAL EDITIONWe also bring you the story of the volunteers in Gerringong who have made the difficult decision to wind up the Nearly New Op Shop after more than 50 years serving the community.There is also all the reaction from Jacinda Ardern's surprise visit to Gerringong on the weekend, local cafe Slow Dough getting national recognition and a feature on the rise of voluntary assisted dying in regional areas.You can also read plenty of other community stories about the impact of YouTube on teenagers, the Kiama Golf Club's bistro upgrade and the Native Title Symposium which was held in Kiama and Gerringong.In sport, we bring you the latest on South Coast cricket, the windsurfing event at Gerroa, the upcoming beach tag tournament and the build-up to the 54th Kiama Rugby Sevens this Saturday.And don't miss John Gabriele's gardening column with the best advice on how to get rid of weeds and stop them coming back.The paper is available from all the usual outlets around the Kiama local government area - grab yours before it's too late.

Australian rugby royalty Glen Ella, Charlotte Caslick and Scott Bowen gave their seal of approval to the Kiama Rugby Sevens at the official launch heading into Saturday’s 54th annual event.The current, in Caslick’s case, national star and two Wallabies blasts from the past were the keynote speakers at Kiama Leagues Club last Friday.They kept the rugby-loving crowd entertained with stories from their decorated playing careers.Bowen represented Australia as a fly-half in the 1990s and is now the high-performance chief for the national women’s squads.Ella is one third of the legendary brothers who formed a brilliant attacking combination for the Wallabies a decade earlier while Caslick’s career has unfortunately been interrupted by a broken ankle suffered last year. The Olympic sevens gold medallist from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro has not competed at the Kiama event but has been a few times as a spectator. Caslick was thrilled that Kiama’s event features equal prizemoney for the champions in the women’s division.“The domestic sevens tournaments were a really important part of growing our squad in the lead-up to Rio,” she said.“It's nice to see Kiama still going strong. A few of them have dropped out. “There are more and more opportunities for girls to play sport and women to keep competing. The more opportunities we give them to create depth within Australia, from grassroots to the elite level, is really important.”While the national sevens squad is off to North America for the World Series, Caslick is undergoing rehab with a view to returning next season.Her goals are to get back in the Olympic squad for the next Games in Los Angeles in 2028 and the 15-a-side format to represent the Wallaroos at the World Cup on home soil the following year.Ella, who made his Test debut in 1982, used to love coming to Kiama with the famous Randwick teams during his playing career for what was then considered the unofficial start to the rugby season.“We looked forward to it, coming down and throwing the ball around,” he said. “And the good thing was that with the two grounds right next to the beach, you'd play a game, you'd go straight in the water, have a swim and come back out.“In those days you used to have a lot of international teams coming to Kiama to play. The standards of the games were really, really high.“And they used to pick the Hong Kong sevens from this tournament so we’d be doing our best to make sure we got on that trip. I think I went there about eight times.”The seven style of rugby, with an emphasis on attack in the open space created by 16 fewer players on the field, was ideal for the Ellas.“It suited us, there's no doubt about that,” he recalled. “It was always good winning and having a few beers afterwards.”He has been coming to the event for the past couple of decades as a spectator and will be watching on from the sidelines this Saturday.Bowen was coached at Southern Districts by Ella in the early 1990s and fondly remembers the pre-season trips to Kiama to dust off the summer cobwebs.“We came here every year, that was the tradition within the Sydney teams,” he said.“You'd come down and play to kick-start the season. “In the last couple of years, some of the teams that have gone really well in the Shute Shield Cup, like Eastwood and Warringah, they've been pretty consistent performers at the Kiama Sevens.“We could tell any youngster that’s playing sevens that it is only going to make you a better 15s player because of the microscope you're under with your skills.“Because of the space when you miss a tackle, it's a try to the other team. A dropped ball or whatever it is, if you make an error it’s a game of high consequence if you're not skilful.”Bowen laughed that a quick dip in the surf was the perfect way to cool off between games, as long as everyone made it back in time for the next game.“Some of the days when the surf's out of control, when you were back on the field you were counting the players to make sure your 12 people all got back rather than being lost down in the water.” The Kiama Sevens gets underway at Kiama Showground and the neighbouring Chittick Oval at 8am on Saturday with matches running throughout the day, culminating in the women’s final at 6.30pm and the premier men’s decider at 6.50pm.Tickets are still available from kiamasevens.com.

Gerroa has once again lived up to its title as the spiritual home of windsurfing, with the 2026 Severne East Coast Titles finally crowning champions after a week-long wait for the right conditions.Following an earlier postponement and a nervous eye on the forecast, competitors were rewarded on Sunday when the long-anticipated north-easterly filled in at 15–20 knots, sending shoulder-high sets marching into Seven Mile Beach.“It was worth the wait,” local sailor James Hayward said. “When that NE kicked in, even though it was still a bit marginal at times, it gave us a proper window to run it. That’s all you need here.”While winds across the weekend remained on the lighter side, Sunday’s weather window allowed the NSW Wave Sailing Association to run a dynamic expression session format - a crowd-pleasing shift from traditional heat draws.All competitors first hit the water together, throwing down their best carving turns and aerial manoeuvres in an open expression session. From there, the top performers advanced to a final shootout to decide the champion.In a spectacular finale, Logan Haggerston emerged with the East Coast Title. Duncan Osborne finished second, with Laurie Menviel rounding out the podium in third.“Notably,” said Hayward. “Laurie Menviel’s podium finish further cemented her reputation for delivering a level of superb wave riding that rivals the very best in the field.”In a fresh addition to the program, organisers also introduced the East Coast Wave Rally - a high-energy format that quickly became a crowd favourite. Sailors raced out through the break on their wave boards, rounded a buoy set offshore and charged back to the beach in a test of speed, timing and versatility.Photo: Brian ScottDean Hendrie took out the Wave Rally final, ahead of Haggerston in second.Hayward said the new format added another dimension to the weekend.“It shows how well-rounded these sailors are,” he said. “You’re not just talking about surfing a wave - you’re talking about fitness, tactics and board handling. It brought a real buzz to the beach.”Also running alongside the main competition was a youth training session and in a landmark moment for the association, several of the youngest “groms” caught their first waves under the guidance of seasoned mentors.“For me, that’s the best part of the weekend,” Hayward said. “Seeing the kids get their first proper rides out there - that’s how the sport keeps growing. There’s a real sense of passing it on.”Photo: Brian ScottWhilst the event marked the grand finale of the 2025/26 NSWWSA season, Hayward also pointed out Gerroa’s ability to always have a community vibe.“You’ve got elite sailors pushing through tough conditions, but you’ve also got families on the beach, mates catching up and kids getting involved,” he said. “That’s what makes Gerroa special. It’s high level, but it never loses that community feel.”The NSWWSA extended its thanks to long-time supporters including local icon Natural Necessity Surf Shop and Severne for backing the event.Photo: Brian Scott

Kiama Beach Tag is back bigger than ever in 2026 for its fifth year, with a full house of teams, a live music line-up and what organisers are calling a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for junior players.The one-day beach tournament taking place on 7 March has grown from fewer than 40 teams to 72 this year - its biggest field yet - with waiting lists in multiple divisions.Founder Keiron Duncan said the growth has exceeded even his expectations.“We started with high 30s, maybe close to 40 teams, and now we’re at 72 and basically at capacity,” Duncan said.“We’ve got about 13 or 14 teams on the wait list, but we just can’t run it across two days. With weather, tides and swell, it’s too risky, so we keep it to one big day.”The tournament will feature nine divisions this year and features a full standalone women's division.“The standalone women’s division is full with eight teams, which is awesome.”Photo: Brian ScottThe event will again feature an exhibition match with NRL and NRLW players and junior winners will also receive Rugby League World Cup tickets, along with what Duncan described as “a once in a lifetime opportunity”.“We’re calling it that for now,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty special for the kids.”The tournament’s $20,000 prize pool also remains a major drawcard.Beyond the football, the event continues to evolve into a full community festival.In conjunction with the Sounds of Kiama Jazz and Blues weekend, organisers will open the bar on Kendalls Beach on Friday, 6 March from 4pm to 8pm, with local musician Ben Gunn performing live.“With the (original) jazz festival being called off, we thought it was a good opportunity to get some live music happening in town,” Duncan said.Saturday will see DJ Clayton Zane playing throughout the day, while Kiama Leagues Club will host an after party featuring two DJs into the night.“There’s plenty to do in town for everyone over the weekend,” Duncan said.Also on the sidelines will be the increased food and market stalls and the return of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation’s new screening bus, offering close to 100 free skin checks on the day.Duncan shared the story of Australian rugby league star Emma Tonegato, who attended the event last year and underwent a routine check.“It ended up being a melanoma,” Duncan said. “She had to take some weeks off footy at the time. Now she’s an ambassador for the foundation. So that’s a really important part of what we do.”Community involvement remains central to the tournament’s identity, with Kiama Surf Life Saving Club providing beach patrol, Kiama Lions Club assisting with parking and waste management, and strong backing from local businesses.For Duncan, who founded the event and has overseen all five editions, the secret to its success lies in its setting and spirit.“The opportunity to play with your mates on the beach, have a swim between games and be in a great part of the world like Kiama - that’s what makes it special,” he said.“There’s a really good positive energy around the tournament. People are trying to win, but they’re not overly caught up in it. It’s just as much about what’s happening off the field.”