'Here's to making your mark and blazing your own trail': Female 'ball boy' at a rugby game is applauded for sending powerful match-day message
- Female 'ball boy' at rugby game has been applauded for her powerful message
- Kiani, nine, sat on the sideline at Forshaw Park, in Sydney's south, on Saturday
- The ball kid was disappointed when she got her uniform which read 'boy'
- She took it upon herself to alter the uniform with tape and pen to read 'ball girl'
A female 'ball boy' at a men's rugby game has been applauded for sending a powerful match-day message.
Kiani, nine, sat on the sideline at Forshaw Park, in Sydney's south, with a fellow ball boy on Saturday afternoon.
Dressed in a yellow uniform with the text 'ball boy' emblazoned on the back, the rugby fan decided to edit her T-shirt to be more inclusive.
A female 'ball boy' at a men's rugby game has been applauded for sending a powerful match-day message
Nine-year-old Kiani was disappointed to learn her ball kid uniform read 'ball boy'
Using strapping tape and permanent marker, the homemade alteration covered the word 'boy' and replaced it with 'girl'.
Commentator Will Davies shared a photo of the girl sitting on the edge of the pitch on Saturday and commended the powerful message.
'Sometimes it's the little things at the rugby that can bring you the most enjoyment,' he said.
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'A nice reminder to challenge something if the message is wrong.
'Here's to making your mark, blazing your own trail and not being held back.'
Kim Johnson, Kiani's mum, told Daily Mail Australia her active daughter took it upon herself to edit the shirt.
Kiani (right) pictured with the three other ball kids in the change room on Saturday
Kim Johnson, Kiani's mum, told Daily Mail Australia her active daughter took it upon herself to edit the shirt
Saturday's match was round three of the Intrust Super Shute Shield but the nine-year-old actually stuck on the tape in round one.
Ms Johnson recalled the moment Kiani was given the ball kid uniform and how she was disappointed the shirt read 'ball boy'.
'Mummy I'm not a ball boy, I'm a ball girl,' Kiani said to her mum.
Ms Johnson works for Southern Districts Rugby Club as a sports massage therapist and her daughter has spent a lot of time around the tight-knit rugby community.
But the 2019 season is the first time Kiani has helped out as a ball kid.
During round one, with the assistance of a Southern Districts spectator, Kiani grabbed some tape and redecorated her shirt.
'She was adamant that she was a girl and not a boy,' Ms Johnson said.
'She used to play rugby, she's also a dancer and a state swimmer.
Ms Johnson works for Southern Districts Rugby Club as a sports massage therapist and her daughter has spent a lot of time around the tight-knit rugby community
'She's a big believer in girl power and anything a boy can do I can do.
'She's pretty strong like that.'
Ms Johnson said Kiani loves the community at the rugby club and described it as a 'family'.
Sam Lindsay from Southern Districts Rugby Club said Kiani is a familiar face at the club and they wanted to give her an opportunity to be more involved.
'Kiani is always with her (mum) and the players all know her,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'She's become very accustomed to our club environment and it seemed like an obvious choice to give her more involvement with the club.'
Mr Lindsay said the club thought Kiani's efforts to redesign her shirt were 'great to see'.
'She's a big believer in girl power and anything a boy can do I can do,' Ms Johnson said of her daughter Kiani (pictured)
'Rugby is a global game for people of all ages, genders, sizes and abilities,' he said.
'What Kiani did on the weekend was inspiring to all young girls across the country to get involved with rugby in any way they can.
'Women's rugby in all formats has arguably been the sport's greatest asset in recent times.'
Mr Lindsay explained the ball boy uniform was gifted to the club in 2018 when three boys served as ball kids.
'The club was contacted on Monday by one of our very generous and long serving members, inspired by her actions, has offered to purchase a new 'ball girl' shirt for Kiani,' Mr Lindsay said.
He added that Southern Districts Rugby Club will be hosting the first leg of the Women's Sydney Club 7s Tournament on Sunday.
The Intrust Super Shute Shield is Sydney's and Australia's Premier Rugby Union Competition and consists of 11 clubs in the Sydney region
The photo was shared to the Shute Shield Facebook page where a number of fans commended Kiani on her efforts.
'Good one!!! I hope she gets a girl rugby trophy at the end of the season too,' wrote on viewer.
'Sure beats the hell out of ball kid! Well done to the girl really well done,' commented another.
Ball kids are used in a number of sports, often at professional levels, to provide and collect balls when they go out of play.
The Intrust Super Shute Shield is Sydney's and Australia's Premier Rugby Union Competition and consists of 11 clubs in the Sydney region.
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