Teachers Rugby Football Club will use the 39th Denton Hurdle Memorial at North Field, National Sports Centre on Sunday to unveil Docksiders as the official jersey sponsor for three seasons.

Gillian Cross, the Teachers president, stated that the sponsorship that covers the current season up to 2027 marks a significant commitment to the club, further strengthening their long-standing relationship.

“A special thank you goes to Reed Young, the owner of Docksiders, whose dedication and support have been invaluable to Teachers over the years,” Cross said.

“Reed has now taken his commitment to the next level by ensuring that Docksiders will proudly feature on the front of Teachers jerseys for the upcoming seasons.

“This sponsorship ensures continued support for the club, enhancing player development and reinforcing our mission of providing a positive environment that fosters the growth of rugby.

“We look forward to seeing the team don their new jerseys with pride, thanks to the generous backing of Docksiders.’’

Hadleigh Tucker, the Teachers captain, spoke of the significance of remembering Hurdle and other departed club legends. The matches will mark the 39th anniversary since the death of Hurdle, a talented sportsman who played rugby, football, cricket and volleyball.

In addition to his sporting prowess, Denton was also a physical education teacher at Warwick Academy. He died in 1985, due medical complications following surgery to correct his enlarged heart, at the age of 28.

Since then, Teachers, his former rugby team, has organised the Denton Hurdle Memorial matches on an annual basis. Also being celebrated on Sunday are other departed former Teachers players, Robert Trott, Devrae Noel-Simmons and Stephen Edwards.

“The Denton Hurdle Memorial is incredibly important to Teachers,” he said.

“Getting a chance to remember Denton, an exceptional athlete and person, the event has changed over the years to represent all Teachers members we have lost too soon.

“As the club captain for this season, I have been looking forward to this fixture, although the day revolves around remembrance and humility.

“I am proud to see the representation of our club from the youth to the Old Boys. We come together as a family, celebrate the life of those gone too soon, play a great game of rugby and remind ourselves what it means to be a part of Teachers and Bermuda rugby.”

Since their match against Police is part of the league schedule, Heidi Groves, the Teachers women’s captain, is excited about the festivities on Sunday.

“The Denton Hurdle Memorial is something we look forward to every year to celebrate the late Denton Hurdle, as well as other members of the Teachers family who have passed away over the years,” she said.

“This year, in lieu of a friendly match, the ladies will be playing a rescheduled league match against Police. We hope the public will come out in full force to support the teams.”

Proceedings are expected to start at Denton’s former place of worship, Bright Temple AME Church in Warwick, at 9.30am. From there, the players and coaches will proceed to Docksiders for breakfast, where they will also get a chance to watch the Six Nations match between Ireland and Scotland.

Denton’s older brother Derek, a former Bermuda and Teachers captain, will be present during the activities.

In keeping with tradition, Chris Naylor, the Teachers men’s coach, will give a run out to Hurdle’s former colleagues in the match against The Rest.

“We pride ourselves in being a family club and that will be reflected in our team selection,” Naylor said.

“We’re playing three 25-minute periods and the first 25 minutes we’re going to start with our Old Boys once, people who played alongside Denton.

“It’s a chance for the 60-year-olds to put on their boots and run around against people four decades younger than them. But they’ll soon roll off the field to be replaced by our first team players.

“We also have a couple of father-son combinations in the starting team, not as many as last year since some of the players have gone off to university.

“We’re looking forward to another competitive day. It’s always great to celebrate those that are no longer with us, as well as the club.”