Clee Hill RFC Player Development Pathway
Introduction
This information has been created to help our community enjoy being part of our rugby club and understand how rugby can give our children a great start in life. We believe rugby is about making better people through adopting our values; these better people make better rugby players and better members of the community
Purpose
- Create positive memories
- Make the community proud
- Support transition to adult rugby
Success
- More players per age group at the end of the season
- Financially stable section.
- Volunteers who are trained, qualified and resourced for their role
- Positive wellbeing through safe, healthy, happy children
- A connected club between the age groups, the sections of the club, and the community
Our Values
Teamwork
Respect
Enjoyment
Discipline
Sportsmanship
How We Can All Help the Club Achieve Success?
SUPPORT FROM ADULTS
The journey to and from a rugby session can be an important time spent with your child.
Try to focus your feedback on progress and effort rather than outcome, as outcome is often outside of your child’s control.
Try using phrases such as:
Before a game: Play. Try your best. Enjoy
During a game
Applaud good play from both teams
Respect all volunteers
Enjoy supporting your child and the club
After a game
‘How did you play?'
‘What did you enjoy the most?'
‘I’m proud of you'
The best 6 words for a child to hear after playing: ‘I love to watch you play'
What is winning?
We all want to win. In a game like rugby outcome is not always in our control. There
are lots of things that are in our control and will support winning for us all. Obvious
ones are the purpose and success criteria already highlighted. Here’s another one that many schools use:
Being consistent with this will directly influence our children being able to transition
into older age groups and adult rugby. A massive win in achieving our purpose.
“Success and winning are different. For success striving to win is more important than actually winning. The child can execute the best performance of their life and still lose.
This child can feel positive because success is equal to good performance”
Lynne Kidman
We care about everyone!
Every player is important to us. Not just the good ones. We say this because of the actions seen in the past where the better players get all the game time in key positions and the less confident players get hardly any game time.
HOW WILL THEY GET BETTER, LOVE THE GAME AND ACHIEVE OUR PURPOSE IF THEY DO NOT PLAY?
Safety and welfare will trump everything, and this is considered with decisions coaches make.
AGE GROUPS
Key Objectives for Learning and Development
Remember there is a whole season to work at these
There may be a focus on one or more key objectives in a session or game
U5 & U6 Micros
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Develop ABCs Agility/Balance/Co ordination
•Skills/Actions Develop eye hand co ordination
•Behaviours Understanding of boundaries
•Values Teamwork/Respect
•Games internal games only
U7 & U8 Tag Rugby
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Greater development of ABCs Agility/Balance/Co ordination
•Skills/Actions Develop eye hand co ordination Catch/Carry/Pass
•Behaviours Understanding of boundaries
•Values Teamwork/Respect
•Go Forward/Support running and evasion/attack and defence
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating positive memories, testing skills,
rewarding effort, progress and strategy
U9 Tag to Tackle Transition
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Greater development of ABCs Agility/Balance/Co ordination
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle (with and
without the ball) ( Click here for video clips to support understanding
•Skills/Actions Develop eye hand co ordination Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload
•Behaviours Understanding of boundaries. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline
•Go Forward/Support running and evasion/attack and defence
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills, rewarding
effort, progress and strategy
U10 Contest Possession
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Greater development of ABCs Agility/Balance/Co ordination
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle (with and without
the ball). Introduction and development of the Tower of Power (TOP) how to set up
a front row and win the ball at a scrum ( Click here for video on setting up a scrum
•Skills/Actions Develop eye hand co ordination Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload
•Behaviours Growth Mind set. Ability to cope with making mistakes, learning from it
and focus on their next job. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline
•Go Forward/Support/Contest possession Running and Evasion. In Attack and
Defence. Breakdown technique and decision making
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills, rewarding effort,
progress and strategy
U11 Can you kick it? Yes you can!
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Greater development of ABCs Agility/Balance/Co ordination
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle (with and without
the ball)
•Skills/Actions Scan for Space Develop eye hand and eye foot co ordination
Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload/Kick
•Behaviours Growth Mind Set. Ability to cope with making mistakes, learning from it
and focus on their next job. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline
•Go Forward/Support/Contest Possession/Pressure Running and Evasion. In Attack
and Defence. Breakdown technique and decision making
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills, rewarding effort,
progress and strategy
U12 Boys no mixed rugby allowed
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Introduction of ACTIVATE
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle how to hand off
below arm pit and avoid hand off. Development of the Tower of Power (TOP) how
to set up a front row and second row and win the ball at a scrum
•Skills/Actions Scan for Space Develop eye hand and eye foot co ordination
Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload/Kick
•Behaviours Growth Mind Set. Ability to cope with making mistakes, learning from it
and focus on their next job. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline
•Go Forward/Support/Contest Possession/Pressure Running and Evasion. In Attack
and Defence. Breakdown technique and decision making
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills, rewarding effort,
progress and strategy
U13 Girls combined age group of U12&U13
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Introduction of ACTIVATE
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle
Development of the Tower of Power (TOP) how to set up a front row and
second row and win the ball at a scrum
•Skills/Actions Scan for Space Develop eye hand and eye foot co ordination
Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload/Kick
•Behaviours Growth Mind Set. Ability to cope with making mistakes, learning
from it and focus on their next job. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline
•Go Forward/Support/Contest Possession/Pressure Running and Evasion. In
Attack and Defence. Breakdown technique and decision making
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills and
rewarding effort, progress and strategy
U13 Boys fully contested scrums
•Enjoyment of being at the club and playing rugby
•Game Fitness Introduction and development of ACTIVATE
•Game Preparation Develop safety and confidence in the tackle how to hand off
below arm pit and avoid hand off. Development of the Tower of Power (TOP) how
to set up a front row, second row plus ‘Number 8’ and win the ball at a fully
contested scrum
•Skills/Actions Scan for Space Develop eye hand and eye foot co ordination
Catch/Carry/Pass/Offload/Kick/Ball Manipulation
•Behaviours Understanding of 5 minute sin bin. Growth Mind Set. Ability to cope
with making mistakes, learning from it and focus on their next job. Leadership.
•Values Teamwork/Respect/Discipline/Sportsmanship
•Go Forward/Support/Contest Possession/Pressure Running and Evasion. In Attack
and Defence. Breakdown technique and decision making
•Games/Tournaments a way of creating memories, testing skills and rewarding
effort, progress and strategy