Dennis Miall: 19 Years with Lae School Boys Rugby League

Dennis Miall is a 51-year-old teacher and a rugby league enthusiast from Siassi and Wau Districts of Morobe Province.

Dennis shifted his dream to be scouted for Kumuls into grooming raw talents for rugby league in Lae, Morobe Province and Papua New Guinea.

Dennis comes from a family of five and his love for rugby league was from his father’s influence while in Wau. His father was a rugby league fanatic and that led to Dennis playing rugby league.

He used to travel for three hours over 145km from Wau into Lae to play every weekend in the 90’s with the dream to be listed as a player for Kumuls.

However, his career priorities changed in 1992 at the age of 21. He taught in several schools around the country and later ended up in Lae where Lae School Boys Rugby League would sprout years later.

Dennis’ career did not stop his love for the sport and that was when he committed 19 years out of the 31 years of his teaching career into Lae School Boys Rugby League Programs.

Lae School Boys Rugby League Program started in 2004 at Lae Secondary School where boys from different schools around Lae urban came together to play and enjoy the game of rugby league.

That program was a PNG Rugby League Program but it’s administered from a school level and it is affiliated to PNG Rugby League with an affiliation fee of K500.

Students pay a registration fee of K30 that caters for the player’s insurance.

The divisions of the program are U14 boys, U16 primary boys, U16 secondary boys, U18 secondary boys, and the girls’ division joined three years ago. 

These divisions provided an avenue for young boys and girls to come out on the weekends to have a social balance and enjoy their love for the game.

‘Here in Lae, we see Lae School Boys Rugby League Program as a tool driving the sporting code forward and also create friendships and say no to violence- that is basically school fights’. 

The program helped resolve disciplinary issues in schools and in Lae District. Boys who are found to be involved in school fighting or any other form of violence were banned from playing.

‘Because we are teachers and we’re trained to stay with students- we create bonds which, for rugby league on the weekends have a greater advantage: show of respect; show of authority; responsible; instructions are followed; there is a close relationship because students know you know them personally’.

Now, as the principal for Bugandi Secondary School, Mr. Miall said, School Boys Rugby League did really make a change for the school over the years since its beginning.

However, the program has faced problems with lack of funding since its beginning but managed to run full-on competitions every weekend.

‘Every weekend we collect match-fees of K5 from both teams on the field and that caters for our volunteer officials; buy their lunch or as a form of acknowledgement’.

‘We acknowledge our volunteers that come out every weekend to help as officials to run the game’.

He said, ‘we need a steady sponsor for the annual schoolboy’s rugby league program to run its weekend competitions’.

Mr. Miall is happy see the collaboration in school activities that the students (especially boys) have after knowing them from the usual weekend rugby league games.

He described it as a ‘life-time bond’.

‘I find out that when you’re around kids, whether it be in school or at the field for their games, there is no pressure’.

The greatest motivation and achievement to witness after so many years with the Lae School Boys is to see how these boys have matured on and off the field.

‘The reward is having to be acknowledged by these young boys who eventually become adults. They remember you by name and recall memories of you and them on the weekends at the field all for the love of rugby league’.

Mr. Miall encourages teachers that are starting their careers to be more involved with their students.

“Those teachers who have been a part of the school boys program have more or less become a public figure apart from their profession as a teacher and Saturday is another working day which we don’t get paid for it instead, it’s a personal commitment.

It’s always a blessing to have these kids apart from my own children at home and the students I teach everyday”.