9-year-old rugby player smashes through other children like it's NBD
Youth sports are meant to be about participation and improving motor skills. Building friendships, even.
But the highlight reel of 9-year-old Meaalofa Te'o at an Australian rugby league tournament would surely strike fear into the hearts of other kids on the field, and likely their parents too.
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You see, Te'o is much, much bigger than the kids that he's playing against.
He easily steamrolls through their attempted tackles, even slowing down at points to stiff arm opposing players — which turns more into throwing them down to the ground.
The worst part (if you're an opposing player) is that he can run pretty fast, sidestepping past players with ease.
Image: moroni martin/youtube
Moroni Martin, who filmed Te'o, told Fairfax Media that he's just like any other kid who enjoys the sport and there's no hard feelings between the players afterwards.
"He is just a kid playing a game that he loves, as are the other kids he is up against," he told the publication.
Yet the footage has fueled a long-running debate on the introduction of weight-based divisions, as opposed to organising teams based on age.
Weight divisions have been implemented in New Zealand junior rugby, with minimum and maximum weight limits for each age group, as do some "pee wee" American football leagues.
that video of the kid "dominating" on the rugby field should be titled, "weight limit rules in youth football leagues validated."
— jacob c. palmer (@jacobc_palmer) September 13, 2016
This has 4 million views but does it show what is wrong with youth sport? @AllBlacks segregate Jr. Rugby by weight https://t.co/JPxLE6h1lz
— Russell Findlay (@russellfindlay) September 13, 2016
Why rugby for kids should be weight based not age. No one is winning here. https://t.co/wRKrGDZryg
— Chris Gerhard (@chrisgerhard) September 13, 2016
There's no doubt the video is super entertaining and is a surreal example of the kid's athletic prowess. But as the old adage goes — it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.