Coaching Mini Rugby (7s - 12s) Anyone?
Discussion
I spent this weekend on an IRFU Mini Rugby coaching course.
There were about 50 of us on the course which was led by Munster Coaches.
It was a valuable and to be honest extremely rewarding use of my time.
Is anyone else here involved in mini rugby that might like to chat about coaching?
(I have a load of questions, and thoughts on this.)
There were about 50 of us on the course which was led by Munster Coaches.
It was a valuable and to be honest extremely rewarding use of my time.
Is anyone else here involved in mini rugby that might like to chat about coaching?
(I have a load of questions, and thoughts on this.)
Great to read the posts above!
I'm very new to this club so I have to be careful not to wade in and upset the status quo, one of the most interesting things I brought back from the Stage 1 course was, play, play, play play.
Play the game, if you see a repeated lack of understanding pull them out for a few minutes, quick drill then play rugby.
It's astonishingly obvious really, but in my day it was run 2 laps of the pitch, then drill scrums, line outs, rucks, mauls and if you were lucky you'd get 10-15 minutes of a game at the end.
All the lad's teaching us this weekend just said make them play a 'game' - not a match, only drill when it is obvious they are not getting it right.
So we've got 4v2 touch games, 7v4 pass games - don't get tagged.
I've got a great idea for warm up games if anyone is interested, I haven't tried it with the kids yet but it worked for a bunch 'elderly' adults.
I'd forgotten how good it feels to get out on a pitch with a bunch of like minded people and throw a ball around!
I've brought back a war
I'm very new to this club so I have to be careful not to wade in and upset the status quo, one of the most interesting things I brought back from the Stage 1 course was, play, play, play play.
Play the game, if you see a repeated lack of understanding pull them out for a few minutes, quick drill then play rugby.
It's astonishingly obvious really, but in my day it was run 2 laps of the pitch, then drill scrums, line outs, rucks, mauls and if you were lucky you'd get 10-15 minutes of a game at the end.
All the lad's teaching us this weekend just said make them play a 'game' - not a match, only drill when it is obvious they are not getting it right.
So we've got 4v2 touch games, 7v4 pass games - don't get tagged.
I've got a great idea for warm up games if anyone is interested, I haven't tried it with the kids yet but it worked for a bunch 'elderly' adults.
I'd forgotten how good it feels to get out on a pitch with a bunch of like minded people and throw a ball around!
I've brought back a war
Well we just had the final training session in 2014, a Christmas party and a visit from Santa this morning so I thought I'd post an update.
Firstly, all about me, I've found these last few months to be incredibly rewarding and of course a little frustrating at times.
It really has been a fantastic season for the club, for our part, the under nines that I coach won all their matches bar the last one. The other coach (with me at this level) and I had a chat this morning and we are so proud of the lads. They've really come on as a team.
We still have one or two talented players that run for the try line as soon as they get the ball, leaving the rest of the team behind and consequently losing the ball, but these are generally the lads that don't turn up for the coaching on a Saturday morning. What we as coaches are noticing is that the lads that do attend the coaching are getting pissed of with this now and educating the fly-aways from within the team. To hear an 8 year old go up to one of his mates and say 'Why didn't you pass me the ball???? I could've scored there...' that's priceless.
We've had a few matches against teams where there is their coach on pitch during the match just roaring and screaming at his players "DRIVE ON... PUSH... PUSH.. DRIVE ON... YOU IDIOT PASS THE BALL!!!!", I personally loathe this, I always use it to my/our advantage, at half time in the huddle - 'Did you hear their coach roaring at them? - he's almost right, move the ball wide, you'll leave them dead'.
We make a point of never shouting at the kids during a match, we do roar at them a little in training though - but the whistle and a shout of 'FREEZE!' is great for just getting in there, pointing out what is wrong, correcting it and letting play continue.
During matches if they lose ball in a play or make a mistake, perhaps leave a wing wide open because they've run to the ruck; I just jog over to them during the reset and have a quiet word in their ear. (I find carrying a water bottle with me is great, 'here get a drink,... now you see how you just drifted out of position there', 'stay out of the ruck... call for the ball', 'keep the width' or 'why did you leave that hole in the middle of the defensive line'.... I'm of the opinion, never roar at kids that are trying their best.
Anyway, I just wanted to keep the thread alive, Andy Brace was due a visit to our club last week but the weather went against us.
But all in all it's been fantastic to be involved at this lower level of rugby.
Meeting the parents and being able to genuinely tell them that their kids really do play a massive part in the team is ace. I was chatting with a parent this morning who said his child is very shy, but the lad really wants to play rugby, he told me that [rugby] has made a massive difference to his kid's confidence.
Yey! So, 7-1 season win to Clan William under nines, 20 kids learning that you need to work as a team - priceless.
Just to finish (because I am a little proud to be involved in coaching this team) - this morning the lads played such clean ball from the ruck that it really surprised me, surprised the other coach too, in fact we chatted and weren't sure if in fact our team hadn't been replaced by aliens...
Roll on the 2015 matches.
Firstly, all about me, I've found these last few months to be incredibly rewarding and of course a little frustrating at times.
It really has been a fantastic season for the club, for our part, the under nines that I coach won all their matches bar the last one. The other coach (with me at this level) and I had a chat this morning and we are so proud of the lads. They've really come on as a team.
We still have one or two talented players that run for the try line as soon as they get the ball, leaving the rest of the team behind and consequently losing the ball, but these are generally the lads that don't turn up for the coaching on a Saturday morning. What we as coaches are noticing is that the lads that do attend the coaching are getting pissed of with this now and educating the fly-aways from within the team. To hear an 8 year old go up to one of his mates and say 'Why didn't you pass me the ball???? I could've scored there...' that's priceless.
We've had a few matches against teams where there is their coach on pitch during the match just roaring and screaming at his players "DRIVE ON... PUSH... PUSH.. DRIVE ON... YOU IDIOT PASS THE BALL!!!!", I personally loathe this, I always use it to my/our advantage, at half time in the huddle - 'Did you hear their coach roaring at them? - he's almost right, move the ball wide, you'll leave them dead'.
We make a point of never shouting at the kids during a match, we do roar at them a little in training though - but the whistle and a shout of 'FREEZE!' is great for just getting in there, pointing out what is wrong, correcting it and letting play continue.
During matches if they lose ball in a play or make a mistake, perhaps leave a wing wide open because they've run to the ruck; I just jog over to them during the reset and have a quiet word in their ear. (I find carrying a water bottle with me is great, 'here get a drink,... now you see how you just drifted out of position there', 'stay out of the ruck... call for the ball', 'keep the width' or 'why did you leave that hole in the middle of the defensive line'.... I'm of the opinion, never roar at kids that are trying their best.
Anyway, I just wanted to keep the thread alive, Andy Brace was due a visit to our club last week but the weather went against us.
But all in all it's been fantastic to be involved at this lower level of rugby.
Meeting the parents and being able to genuinely tell them that their kids really do play a massive part in the team is ace. I was chatting with a parent this morning who said his child is very shy, but the lad really wants to play rugby, he told me that [rugby] has made a massive difference to his kid's confidence.
Yey! So, 7-1 season win to Clan William under nines, 20 kids learning that you need to work as a team - priceless.
Just to finish (because I am a little proud to be involved in coaching this team) - this morning the lads played such clean ball from the ruck that it really surprised me, surprised the other coach too, in fact we chatted and weren't sure if in fact our team hadn't been replaced by aliens...
Roll on the 2015 matches.
Derek Smith said:
Well done, mate. Without people like you, the sport would eventually dry up.
Thanks Derek. b.t.w. - did you ever find any software for tracking the sports stats that I remember you asking about a few years ago?I tried several times to contact you via mail and left notes all over the place here but never got any response.
AndStilliRise said:
The coaches are not paid and the only rewards they get are from the satisfaction of training and boy do they do a good job.
I try and give the coaches a hand, even if its cleaning up or helping put the tag belts on.
so to all the coaches out there....especially Harrow/Pinner - Thank you!
Thanks again, regarding the bit in bold, that's how I got started this time around, just watching the sessions and then wandering around at the end picking up cones and helping carrying everything back to the club-house.I try and give the coaches a hand, even if its cleaning up or helping put the tag belts on.
so to all the coaches out there....especially Harrow/Pinner - Thank you!
Chatting with the coaches during the walk back I guess they figured out I knew a little bit about the game (I'd coached under 8s about 6 years earlier for a different club) and from then on I found myself invited onto the pitch during matches to stand behind the lads and encourage them on their play.
This year I was formally invited to join the club and given the opportunity to attend the IRFU Mini Rugby Coaching course, which as I've said was fantastic fun and very informative.
In my opinion all clubs welcome any assistance, be that just running around with water bottles or picking up kit after a session, to driving a few kids out to the away matches.
Get involved in anyway you can - it'll be appreciated.
Legend83 said:
Bookmarked as I am looking into doing this when my son comes of age (only 3 at the moment, but working on a promising throw!).
Excellent stuff - it really is rewarding in terms of time spent.I'd say get him down to the local club/clubs whilst he's still this young, let him see what's going on, there'll be other small kids running around playing with a ball whilst the older kids are playing. Observe the sessions and talk to the coaches and get a feel for the club. In our club (mainly during the warmer months) we have kids of all ages hanging around. The youngest are are allowed to run around in a safe area with a few balls to kick and throw around.
I guess we've been lucky this year in that our lads have really excelled. You've got to make it fun and interesting, you can't stand there screaming and roaring at them.
With your lad at age three you can play around in the garden and teach all the fundamental mini rugby skills; ball carrying (two hands on the ball), dodging/side stepping, scoring a try, you can even let the little fella tackle you and fall down, let him to his feet, grab the ball to run and score - He'll love it!
It's all great stuff and whilst it might be a hell of an effort for us older folks to run around, the kids love doing that and will do it all day. Best thing I ever did for my lad was letting him tackle me (at a jog). When an 8yr old thinks he can safely floor an 11 Stone 6'2" fella, hearing and feeling him hit the ground, getting to his feet snatching the ball and charging off only to see Dad just about back on his knees, makes them think they're invincible
Just a quick follow up;
So first thing to say, anyone thinking of getting involved, please do.
We had our first day back after the Christmas break, I'm coaching under nines and to be honest they all came back really eager to go.
We had a few issues with too many going into the ruck, but you have to remember they're only little kids and they are all trying their best.
Really looking forward to the rest of the season now, I think next week we'll work on getting getting faster ball out of the ruck and passed along the line.
There's only myself and one other coach working with these lads and to be honest we had a chat after the session and we both agreed that we are pulling them up on such minor technicalities that in a game at their level it would probably be let go.
As the other coach and I said afterwards, they're (the kids) are like sponges, they soak up everything you show them.
Brilliant stuff and a great day out on the pitch today.
So first thing to say, anyone thinking of getting involved, please do.
We had our first day back after the Christmas break, I'm coaching under nines and to be honest they all came back really eager to go.
We had a few issues with too many going into the ruck, but you have to remember they're only little kids and they are all trying their best.
Really looking forward to the rest of the season now, I think next week we'll work on getting getting faster ball out of the ruck and passed along the line.
There's only myself and one other coach working with these lads and to be honest we had a chat after the session and we both agreed that we are pulling them up on such minor technicalities that in a game at their level it would probably be let go.
As the other coach and I said afterwards, they're (the kids) are like sponges, they soak up everything you show them.
Brilliant stuff and a great day out on the pitch today.
Thought I'd drag this one out of dim and distant past.
U10s this year and obviously a hell of a lot more to coach to bring the boys up this year.
We had our first night back training a week ago - it was like herding cats, we gave them a lot freedom in that our club has a lot of players that haven't seen each other for a few months so concentration was never going to be a strong point on the first night back. They were all chatting about their summer holidays.
The second night was called off at our level due to rain/cold, but the U11s were playing and so myself and one of the other coaches met up, we had had two shows from our U10s - Little Ex and one other fella, so we asked and got them into the U11 training session.
Wow, just wow what a match these lads at U11 are playing - we're talking full width ball passed out to the wing, and still an overlap.
It was a great opportunity to watch the year above playing, a few parents came over afterwards to say 'that looked like real rugby'.
Little Ex played a blinder, at one point, he was behind the ruck, ball near his feat, put his hand on the guy in front, looked left, looked right, looked left again, picked and played the ball left.
You really couldn't ask for anything more from any of the players on his side to give him the opportunity to be able to do this.
Little Ex is now convinced he wants to go play with the U11s, and having watched the coaches at that level it gives me a lot of ideas to bring our crew up a level.
So did any of you people that said you were going to get involved last year do so?
I was given a book on coaching U9/10 from the IRFU - if anyone would like a copy I'll scan it to a PDF and send it over.
Here's to a new season
U10s this year and obviously a hell of a lot more to coach to bring the boys up this year.
We had our first night back training a week ago - it was like herding cats, we gave them a lot freedom in that our club has a lot of players that haven't seen each other for a few months so concentration was never going to be a strong point on the first night back. They were all chatting about their summer holidays.
The second night was called off at our level due to rain/cold, but the U11s were playing and so myself and one of the other coaches met up, we had had two shows from our U10s - Little Ex and one other fella, so we asked and got them into the U11 training session.
Wow, just wow what a match these lads at U11 are playing - we're talking full width ball passed out to the wing, and still an overlap.
It was a great opportunity to watch the year above playing, a few parents came over afterwards to say 'that looked like real rugby'.
Little Ex played a blinder, at one point, he was behind the ruck, ball near his feat, put his hand on the guy in front, looked left, looked right, looked left again, picked and played the ball left.
You really couldn't ask for anything more from any of the players on his side to give him the opportunity to be able to do this.
Little Ex is now convinced he wants to go play with the U11s, and having watched the coaches at that level it gives me a lot of ideas to bring our crew up a level.
So did any of you people that said you were going to get involved last year do so?
I was given a book on coaching U9/10 from the IRFU - if anyone would like a copy I'll scan it to a PDF and send it over.
Here's to a new season
Muskythedog said:
No coach allowed on the field next season so working on this at the moment with the lads as well as tackling harder and giving the ball more width.
I like that no coach on the field issue, and that is going to make me ask our players what they want from me as a coach - likely it will be "STOP TELLING ME OFF!"As I said earlier Little Ex was playing in a level above his age/weight- at one moment he got launched backwards by a body check.
There was no wrap and tackle - he just got flattened - I was worried, but before I could even get there he was back on his feat and had scampered off to continue play.
We do have an issue with getting the lads to tackle properly.
Any one willing to give some advice on that?
Well it's finally happened....
After three years of playing mini rugby, five years of GGA Hurling and Football all without incident Little Ex's luck finally ran out playing a f
king game of soccer.
I'm livid. He went in to block a shot and the other player's foot connected with Little Ex's left knee, coming from behind but right across the lateral-medial line.
The scream was the worst thing I've ever heard come out of a child's mouth.
Stretchered off, ice applied, can't stand or bear any weight on it. Assessed by the A-team pysio (there was an adult match being played on the ajoining pitch) and appears nothing broken.
Once the shock had subsided a bit he was stretchered to the car, carried up three flights of stairs, put on the couch and medicated, copious amounts of Fastum Gel and some Nurofen.
Then this morning the of course the pain is back and he's in tears again calling to be carried to the toilet because he can't stand.
Deciding then to take him straight to the doctors I refused him any pain management wanting the Doc to get the full picture. Long discussion with the doc and we both agree it looks like contact injury to the lateral collateral ligament, hamstring and calf muscle, couple with hyper-extension of the medial collateral ligament.
So straight off to hospital to rule out any fractures. Five hours going through.
1. find a wheel chair (25 minutes!!!)
2. A&E, triage
4. x-ray
5. consultation
We were lucky - the average exit time was nine hours, but they push the children/juveniles through faster it seems.
Fortunately no fractures, so a set of crutches and we're home again.
I'm pissed off for two reasons.
1. For what is supposed to be a none contact sport there were arms and legs flying everywhere in that footy match, but hey it's sport and accidents happen.
2. Whilst stretchering him back to the car their coach plays all concerned, promised me a follow up call that night, it never came, nothing today either.
In mini-rugby any injury would never go without continuous follow ups until stable/resolved.
I'll be sure to hit the club's insurance with the bill for an MRI if it's needed.
We're both gutted. Our rugby club had a visit from an IRFU/Munster coach last Friday night and the whole mini-rugby coaching team were praised on our game focused coaching, attention to individual player safety, great player numbers and just a general 'how much the lads seem to be enjoying themselves'.
What can we do? Nothing for a while, see how he progresses over the next 7-10 days, and hope he makes a speedy recovery. If there's any doubt about this injury in a weeks time then I'll get him booked in for an MRI to look at the soft tissue damage and see where we go from there.
What a ball-ache and disappointing start to the season.
After three years of playing mini rugby, five years of GGA Hurling and Football all without incident Little Ex's luck finally ran out playing a f
king game of soccer.I'm livid. He went in to block a shot and the other player's foot connected with Little Ex's left knee, coming from behind but right across the lateral-medial line.
The scream was the worst thing I've ever heard come out of a child's mouth.
Stretchered off, ice applied, can't stand or bear any weight on it. Assessed by the A-team pysio (there was an adult match being played on the ajoining pitch) and appears nothing broken.
Once the shock had subsided a bit he was stretchered to the car, carried up three flights of stairs, put on the couch and medicated, copious amounts of Fastum Gel and some Nurofen.
Then this morning the of course the pain is back and he's in tears again calling to be carried to the toilet because he can't stand.
Deciding then to take him straight to the doctors I refused him any pain management wanting the Doc to get the full picture. Long discussion with the doc and we both agree it looks like contact injury to the lateral collateral ligament, hamstring and calf muscle, couple with hyper-extension of the medial collateral ligament.
So straight off to hospital to rule out any fractures. Five hours going through.
1. find a wheel chair (25 minutes!!!)
2. A&E, triage
4. x-ray
5. consultation
We were lucky - the average exit time was nine hours, but they push the children/juveniles through faster it seems.
Fortunately no fractures, so a set of crutches and we're home again.
I'm pissed off for two reasons.
1. For what is supposed to be a none contact sport there were arms and legs flying everywhere in that footy match, but hey it's sport and accidents happen.
2. Whilst stretchering him back to the car their coach plays all concerned, promised me a follow up call that night, it never came, nothing today either.
In mini-rugby any injury would never go without continuous follow ups until stable/resolved.
I'll be sure to hit the club's insurance with the bill for an MRI if it's needed.
We're both gutted. Our rugby club had a visit from an IRFU/Munster coach last Friday night and the whole mini-rugby coaching team were praised on our game focused coaching, attention to individual player safety, great player numbers and just a general 'how much the lads seem to be enjoying themselves'.
What can we do? Nothing for a while, see how he progresses over the next 7-10 days, and hope he makes a speedy recovery. If there's any doubt about this injury in a weeks time then I'll get him booked in for an MRI to look at the soft tissue damage and see where we go from there.
What a ball-ache and disappointing start to the season.
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