The funds raised at a memorial match in honour of two former rugby players will benefit future generations of athletes through the establishment of a new scholarship.
Ross Sutherland Rugby Club played against Moray in Invergordon last weekend in the annual Daniel Rafferty and Dave Mackay memorial match.
Family members of the two deceased players were present at the Naval Grounds and a raffle raised almost £300.
According to event organizer Rob Parkes, it is the wish of both families that the money should be used to give talented rugby players from socially disadvantaged families new opportunities, and he hopes to be able to use the proceeds to set up such a fund.
“I will be speaking to the current committee as it is the family’s wish that a scholarship fund is set up to ease the financial burden on all junior players who have to take part in regional selection processes and the like,” Mr Parkes said.
“A player’s journey can be very expensive due to travel and that should not be an obstacle to progress. Hopefully the committee will agree and provide the money for this purpose.
“Raff went through this process as an U15 and U16 player. I coached him back then and we brought a few guys through.
“I think it’s fair to say that not everyone is particularly well off financially. Anything we can do to make things easier for these guys, we should definitely do it. It’s a worthy cause to spend the money on.”
Mr Parkes is a former coach and committee member at Ross Sutherland and coached both Rafferty and Mackay in their youth.
He says people who knew both men remember them fondly, and that through the memorial service, their legacies continue to influence young people who never met them.
“Raff was an extremely talented young player,” continued Mr Parkes.
“He was a front-rower through and through, strong as an ox, reliable and just a great guy to have on the team.
“He was described as a cornerstone and he really was that for the boys. He got on with everyone, was just such a lovable character and at the same time a very tough player on the field.
“Dave joined a few years later because a lot of his schoolmates were playing and he caught the fan fever.
“We wish we’d got him earlier. He was man of the match quite a few times just because of his effort and he was just that easy-going guy who didn’t let anything bother him – a real team player.”
“We lost Raff 14 years ago and Dave died two years later. It’s fantastic to see that we’re still playing a memorial game with such great significance.
“I think it’s a reminder of what this club is about. It’s about more than just rugby. The friendships and memories last forever.”
“It’s really hard to put into words, but once you’re part of it, I think it never lets you go. It’s great to be part of it.”
