Welcome to Mini Rugby.

Weymouth Rugby Club Mini and Youth is a section within the main club formed in the 1980’s by M&Y Treasurer Ken Pipe to promote local community rugby at a junior level.

Aims The primary aim is to develop individual and team skills, fitness and awareness of the needs of the game both on the team and on individuals. These activities will also build confidence and self-esteem, team spirit, self-discipline and social awareness. Players new to the game are always made very welcome.

Playing and Training We aim to strike a balance between training and playing matches so that there is space to learn and then put things learnt into practice. We emphasise achieving as a team, enjoying the contest and the social side of meeting with other clubs. We play matches played against other clubs in the county, both home and away. (see menu - 'Fixtures')

The type of game played and size of pitch is very carefully structured under the RFU ‘Continuum’ rules. Under 6s play fun games to get them used to handing and running. Proper matches start at Under-7 with non-contact Tag Rugby played with 7 players per side on a small pitch (see menu -‘What is Tag Rugby’). Tackling is introduced at Under-9 and the full game introduced at Under-13 with a 15 players on a full size pitch. Importantly, the game is open to girls up to Under-13 and we actively encourage their participation.

Coaches Each of our age groups is controlled by an RFU qualified coach plus assistants. We currently run groups from Minis (Under 6s up to U12s), Youth (U13s up to U16s) and Colts (combined U17s & U18s). Some Mini age groups are combined and there are some gaps at Youth level (see below). With parental permission there is the opportunity for players to play up or down age groups depending on the age. (See the menu – ‘Who to Contact’)

Times The Minis (Under 6s to Under 12s) train and play home matches on Sunday mornings from 1015 to noon.

Youth teams (Under 13s to Under 16s) train and play their matches on Sunday mornings from 1015 to noon and also train one evening a week under floodlights.

The Colts Team play matches on Sunday afternoons 2.00pm Kick-offs and train on Thursday evenings 6.00pm to 8.pm.

Welfare and Child Protection Our Child Welfare Officer Sally Chittick who ensures that your child enjoys the sport in a safe environment and who is there to listen and act on any concerns you may have. All our coaches and adults regularly in contact with players are regularly CRB checked.

A Family Concern

The section is run entirely by volunteers, many of whom are parents of young players, for the benefit of all the children and young people in the club. This represents a sizeable commitment - matches (involving car transport) have to be organised, teams need to be coached and hungry players need to be fed and cleared up behind (home from home really). This doesn’t just happen, it needs people – you! The section (your child’s team) is always desperate to ensure that players are happy, that their game develops and that a family atmosphere is encouraged. There is nothing more dispiriting for volunteers than to see parents drop and run – we really could do without this type of approach as it just loads more onto fewer.

Coaching

Our coaches are our most valuable assets; they are all very committed and put a lot of time and effort into the club. There are many tasks which are not directly connected with coaching but which need doing on training and match days and do not require any rugby knowledge. The more of these that can be done by parents, the more time and effort the coaches can put into actually coaching so why not ask your offspring’s coach how you can help out in any small way?

How else you can help

Communication and feedback are keys to making things run easier. This needs to be two way, there are some simple ways you can help.

Availability - Coaches will usually ask the players in their squad whether they are available for matches when they see them the previous week, so that they can start to plan the team. If your child becomes non-available during the week, a phone call to the coach will help enormously, the earlier the better, but even on the morning of the match is better than us not knowing what’s going on. It also reduces the coaches stress level!

Feedback - any feedback you can give us will help us to better understand how you view our efforts, so we welcome and encourage constructive criticism or ideas from parents.

Fitness - Late nights before match days show up as lack of energy during matches, so some discipline would help. Otherwise it lets down the rest of the team.

Clothing - There is an element of standing around especially during playing triangular matches when the other 2 teams are playing. In cold weather it’s important that your child wears sufficient warm clothing but minis continue to turn up wearing just a rugby shirt and not much more. A mini’s perception of what he or she needs is usually woefully inadequate, so it may be a case of insisting! Lots of thin layers is the best approach.

Recruitment - We currently have low numbers in some of the age groups and this is preventing your child getting the maximum out of the game. Although we are continuously conducting recruitment campaigns, experience shows that the most successful way is through word of mouth, so spread the word and bring a school friend or neighbour along!

Help in kitchen - Your assistance in producing hot dogs and other delicacies during match days will help to lighten the load on others, it just needs one appearance for a couple of hours each season.

Help behind the bar – Have you had any bar experience? Do you want to learn? Again, just once or twice after a match spreads the load.

Cleaning up after – The players (bless them) do leave debris behind, but it doesn’t take much to just go round with a bin bag.

Support on touchline , encourages the team no end.

Transport for away matches. The club, like most others, cannot afford to hire transport for away matches and so relies entirely on parental support.