Schools, Childrens Hospital, NFL Stadiums and Sandwiches – all in a day of Rugby League Team

The visiting British Police Rugby League team will join forces with the Jacksonville Axemen and the Jacksonville Beach Police in delivering some great advice as well as an introduction to Rugby League, to the students at the St. Pauls Catholic School in Jacksonville Beach. With all the members of the visiting team being Police Officers in Britain, along with their mascot Alfie the Lion, they will visit the school from 9.30am until 11.30am on Monday (Nov 21) to teach the students about safety, respect, a healthy lifestyle as well as showing them the basics of Rugby League.

The group will be joined by Pat Dooley from the Jacksonville Beach Police department, who issued a welcome brief when the team arrived on Monday. Members of the Jacksonville Axemen will also be apart of the visit in an effort to give the students a local connection to the Rugby League Atlantic Cup and help explain the sport in more American terms.

Following the morning session the group will continue their community efforts with a visit to Wolfson Children’s Hospital at 2pm as part of the sponsorship for the Axemen by Firehouse Subs. Alfie the Lion along with the players and coaching staff will be joined by Meg Rose from Firehouse Subs to deliver smiles and laughs to the children who are currently in the Hospital.

The Axemen hope the visit also bring community awareness to the incredible work done at the hospital and the efforts of Firehouse Subs that are currently running a fundraiser were 10 cents from every “Combo” purchased with a Firehouse sub is being donated to provide a new piece of equipment for the hospital.

“When I was asked by the Police team if there was a hospital they could visit to help with community efforts, Wolfson Children’s Hospital was a no brainer”, said Spinner Howland. “Not only is the work they do incredible and the lives they save immeasurable, but I was aware of the efforts of our title sponsor (Firehouse Subs) that are running a fundraiser through the end of the year that will help purchase a new piece of equipment for the hospital. The visit fit together perfectly where the kids get some smiles and laughs delivered from international policemen, the sport of Rugby League is helping bring people together with community awareness, and it was a great opportunity to increase the awareness of the efforts of Firehouse Subs as it raises money for an incredible cause.”

The team will also take a tour on Friday to the Jaguars NFL Stadium that will give them a behind the scenes look at the most professional of sports in the USA and the facilities these teams provide their players.

Overall this is an incredible effort by Jacksonville businesses, organizations and people to welcome an international team who plays a sport that is often considered obscure in the USA and use it to create a wonderful opportunity in the community.

“I cannot thank everyone who helps is prove that Jacksonville is such an incredible city for the sport of Rugby League. The Jaguars, the Suns, Wolfson Children Hospital, Firehouse Subs, all our sponsors and our fans. The entire community of Jacksonville does such an amazing job in allowing the Axemen to show visiting teams that this truly is a place that loves our sport. All we can do is say thank you to everyone and say it often”, said Axemen co-founder Drew Slover.

A reminder that 10 cents from every Combo added to a Firehouse sub until the end of the year will be donated to a fund to purchase new equipment for Wolfson Children’s Hospital.