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Sport: Mostly cricket, rugby and football
Bill Shankly of Liverpool Football Club famously said: 'football isn't about life or death - it's much more serious than that'. Any sportsman can agree with that in tense moments!
Sport is the best thing for everyone at all ages and all abilities. it takes you out of yourself, it always inviolves others and it has its own communication.
I've played cricket all my life and been involved with clubs all around the county (and country) - and refounded and captained the Shanghai Cricket Club. Cricket brings people of all ages together. I play for Gloucester City Wingate Cricket Club (www.gloucestercricket club.com), sometimes with either or both both my sons, the Gloucestershire Gipsies, and occasionally the Gloucestershire Over 50s.
What I really love in all three sports is the enthusiasm of playing with the young, going off to nets at the Spa Road ground, or at AIW nets, or with other teams. It's like early Sunday morning rugby at the Hucclecote RFC, Old Cryptians and other clubs - or the junior teams of the Gloucester FC - lots of boys out on a weekend and plenty of competitive matches.
The other great family experience for allages and both sexes is going to awatch a great gane at Kingsholm. I was a poor winger but my elder son played for the winning U13 G'shire side and my younger son is a better winger than I was. We're all small and nippy but never nippy enough - which is why we appreciate players like Lewis and Burns who aren't giants but can play with best successfully. I believe Tom Walkinshaw has been a huge asset for the city and the club and this neds to be recognised more. GRFC, with the Cathedral, generate huge pride across the city - and we need more of that.
And if we can get the Tigers back to Meadow Park - which means getting the Environment Agency to approve the club's flood control scheme - then we might get the roaring there going again.
Meanwhile football is a great ice breaker at Play Glos days, and informal gatherings and I'd like to see a charity 6 a side competition each year.
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Council