Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

The place to be on Saturday morning for mums, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents and related family members will be Maramtanga Park in Te Puna, where the annual Western Bay of Plenty Junior Rugby Finals day will be played out.

Over 100 teams set out on a journey back in May, and Saturday will see the best two teams from the Under-10, 11, 12 and 13 grades battle it out the 2015 Western Bay junior rugby titles.

The 1600-plus youngsters in the four age groups have endured a season of weekly training sessions, cold morning matches and a bump or two on the way to season's end.

And while the myriad of youngsters turned up each weekend bright eyed and raring for action, there are many supporting personnel that have made for another successful junior rugby season.

From the regional and club junior rugby administrators and people on duty at the clubs on Saturday morning, to the parents who juggle taxi driving duties to get their kids to the games on time – there is un-asked support from a whole host of volunteers.

However, two groups at the coalface of the game are the true heroes of Western Bay junior rugby.

Coaches, managers and support personnel are first to training on cold and bleak late afternoons and are the ones that put away the gear, turn off the lights and lock up the sheds two or three times a week.

The JMC referees ensure that youngsters get to enjoy their matches, ensure games are played within the rules and that fair-play is accorded to all. They receive plenty of advice (not always friendly) from the sideline with many returning season after season.

Breaking with the tradition of playing JMC Finals Day at the Tauranga Domain, the title deciders are now on a rotation of club grounds, with Te Puna Rugby Club hosting this year's big day out for Western Bay junior rugby.

Finals day at Maramatanga Park kicks of with the Under-10 grade, where Papamoa Orange and Arataki, who won through as top qualifiers from the two divisions, will put their unbeaten records on the line.

Second-up, Mount Marlins and Rangatau square off in the Under-11 final before hosts Te Puna and Judea decide the Under-12 championship.

Taking centre stage in the last match of the day will be Mount Maunganui and Greerton Black, who will battle it out for Under-13 silverware.

Friday night at Baypark will see a number of graduates from Western Bay of Plenty JMC wear the Steamers' blue and gold uniform as 'our” team takes on North Harbour in the first round of the ITM Cup.

It would be interesting to be able to look into a crystal ball to see how many youngsters that play at Maramatanga Park at the weekend go on to wear the Steamers' (and other NPC teams) uniform in the future.

Seeya at Maramatanga Park on Saturday.