KAPITI COAST RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB (2004) INC
The Kapiti Bears

HISTORY

We are situated in the idyllic setting of Matthews Park, Menin Rd, Raumati South, on the fabulous Kapiti Coast.

The Kapiti Coast Rugby League Club - Kapiti Bears is a small rugby league club with a proud and sucessful history. We are a whanau family based club that is passionate about keeping the game of rugby league alive on the Kapiti Coast and giving Kapiti kids the chance to play a team sport, have fun, and become elite players.

In 2005 and 2007 our senior team won the Wellington regional senior first finals, and in 2009 we took out the premier reserve grand final.

'I did it and so can you' - star's tips for budding league players
By Randall Walker

Kapiti kids can become rugby league stars, a theory proven by internationally renowned player and Waikanae lad Stephen Kearney. Three years into a contract with the Melbourne Storm rugby league team, he says home will always be Fleetwood Grove, Waikanae.

Kapiti kids can become rugby league stars, a theory proven by internationally renowned player and Waikanae lad Stephen Kearney.hree years into a contract with the Melbourne Storm rugby league team, he says home will always be Fleetwood Grove, Waikanae.

Stephen has some tips for local league players who would like to follow in his footsteps. "Firstly join the local club, enjoy your football and if you decide you want to take it seriously, set yourself some goals and plan how you are going to achieve those goals. Born in Paraparaumu in 1972, his family moved to Waikanae when Stephen was 13, and has lived there ever since. Kapiti was brilliant as a starting point in my career, particularly inspirational were all of my family, especially my parents," says the second-highest test-capped Kiwi.

Another great influence during the early stages of his career was coach Manu Parata, whose understanding of the game was "way ahead of his time. Kearney first played league with the Kapiti Bears aged about 13, after switching from playing rugby union for Paraparaumu during his primary school years. By the age of 16 he was determined to make a career out of league, he says. "I was attracted to the sport by its physical nature, portrayed through images of classic test matches between the Kiwis and Australia, State of Origin matches and the great final images that brought a season to a climax.

"From Kapiti to the Hutt Valley to Australia, Kearney says rugby league has taken his family "on a pretty good ride". As well as playing 39 tests with the Kiwis, he spent three years with Western Suburbs in Sydney and four years with the Warriors before signing with the Melbourne Storm. In his first year with them the team won the National Rugby League Championship, giving Kearney one of the high-lights of his career.

Now aged 29, the father of one with one on the way, says he is confident the three years left on his contract with Melbourne Storm will be enough to see out his professional league playing days. After that coaching or sports management are two possibilities and should he decide to take one of those paths "I will begin making steps in enhancing that option".

At this stage he has no plans to return to New Zealand permanently, although he tries to get back to Kapiti once or twice a year. He was last in New Zealand for the recent Black Friday test between Australia and New Zealand in Wellington, his first test in his old stomping ground. "We went into that game with great expectations and failed to deliver ... we failed to control our time in possession of the ball, which ultimately, against the world champions, is disastrous."