Players from GingerCloud Foundation modified rugby on Cloud Nine Covid-19 shutdown

Players from the GingerCloud Foundation modified rugby were on Cloud Nine despite no games or team training because of the coronavirus sporting shutdown. Read why their spirts are high and their will unbroken in beating the social isolation restrictions.

The coronavirus crisis may have stopped their sport, but for the players from the GingerCloud Foundation modified rugby program, spirits are high and their will unbroken.

GingerCloud modified rugby was formed in 2014 by Megan and Anthony Elliott for children with a “learning and perceptual disability’’.

Games are played across 10-14 weekends, April to August, for juniors up to the age of 21 years using grounds at the famous Brothers rugby club.

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The Elliott’s son Max and family friend Matthew Chesterman were around a dozen pioneers of a pilot program in 2014 which today sees up to 27 teams and 380 participants involved from Far North Queensland to the ACT.

This show of Matthew (player) and Emily Chesterman (coach) says a lot about GingerCloud.

But like all members of the sporting community, from the Queensland Reds to the local junior clubs, everyone is missing actually playing, socialising face-to-face and training.

But the Gingercloud social media grapevine is abuzz and no one has been left feeling isolated.

Megan said the social media arm of Gingerclouds was popular at the best of times, but it was even more meaningful during the sporting shutdown.

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“While we can’t be together on the field, that does not mean we can’t be together,’’ Megan said.

“Which is the message coming out from the government as well.

“It (social media) is a way people can keep seeing what is great about our communities.

“People can still feel like they belong.’’

Megan Elliott with her son Max at the Brothers rugby grounds

Aside from a weekly e-newsletter delivered each Friday, Gingercloud has a social media channel.

For example, Tuesday is themed for Q and As with last week’s topic encouraging members to discuss how their pets were enjoying having families working and being schooled from home.

Then Leadership Thursday is used by mentors and coaches to discuss topics of interest while Sunday night on the channel features replays of old matches.

Max Elliott, GingerCloud

According to the Chesterman family, their son Matthew loves the Sunday replays featuring himself.

“He loves watching the old videos of himself that Megan has been putting up on Facebook,’’ said Matthew’s mum Anita.

“He was heavily photographed in the earlier days.’’

The Elliotts started the “world first’’ modified rugby program after seeing families flock to nearby Crosby Park, home ground of Brothers.

“We saw everyone driving down that hill and we were never there,’’ she said.

“In developing what we do, it is about creating a place where children feel safe and understood, where they feel they belong.

“For us the whole process has been about growing community inclusion.

“It is not about sport, it is about creating a long term social change.’’

The name Gingercloud was inspired by two events.

“Max was non-verbal until aged seven, then the first time he had enough language to ask for something at tuckshop at school, he asked for a Gingerbread man and a juice,’’ Megan explained.

Players high five after a match.

The cloud component in the foundation’s name was inspired by the brand company that the Elliott family worked with. For them, each cloud in the blue sky represented a new milestone that Max was able to achieve in his life.

“So the brand GingerCloud represents the celebration of milestones for girls, boys and young adults with Autism, Aspergers of other learning and perceptual disabilities and their families,’’ Megan said.

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The impact the Gingercloud modified rugby program has on children with special needs is emphasised by Matthew Chesterman.

The 16-year-old has mild cerebral palsary with speech, language and intellectual impairments.

But mum Anita said the rugby program had opened up a new part of his world.

Indeed when we spoke on the phone Matthew was in the backyard playing with his rugby ball.

Emily and Andrew Chesterman at the Brothers rugby union grounds.

“He will watch it on YouTube and practice moves in the backyard. He watches the Broncos, the Reds – he is on board with all of it.’’

Antia said when Matthew and his peers first started playing modified rugby, they would run to the wrong end of the field.

“Now he fully understands. It is incredible how that has changed everything.’’

Mentors like Reds and Brothers player, ex-Nudgee student Jack Tuttle, are scattered throughout the teams to help coaches and players.

And there contribution and knowledge is priceless to the program.

Anthony Elliott (MRP founder) then Andrew Chesterman, son and player Matthew, Anita Chesterman and Emily (coach)

One of the coaches at GingerCloud is Matthew Chesterman’s older sister, Emily, who loves seeing players master new skills.

“It is a really rewarding experience,’’ the Clayfield College alumni said.

“You see how much they improve and the mentors improve.

“We see players develop relationships with each other and mentors, make new friends and learn skills.

“I feel lucky I get to see them do that sort of stuff.’’

GingerCloud modified rugby program social medal notification of another milestone in the life of Max Elliott who passed his online drivers test.

The Elliott family were also celebrating another milestone in Max’s life, with the young man from Seton College passing his online learners test earlier in the week.

“Our community went mad,’’ Megan said.

“He has been doing it with his support worker for six to seven months.

“We we were told at (aged) seven he would never read, write or speak

“Now he has passed his learners online.’’

And so the milestone moments continue – even in social isolation.