It takes a rugby player to make a rugby player.
United Rugby Club wants to break that template by hosting its first Try Rugby event Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Maple Creek middle school to introduce the sport to new generation of kids, and their parents.
Paul Henery, the director of United’s mini-rugby program for kids, said the majority of young players take to the pitch because they’ve spent numerous Saturdays on the sidelines as their mom or dad knocks heads in the scrum. Try Rugby is a chance to reach a broader audience whose curiosity about the sport may have been piqued by the party atmosphere of the annual Rugby Sevens tournament at BC Place or the international success of Canada’s women’s team.
“It’s a challenge to grow beyond the kids of rugby parents,” Henery said.
But if it’s to break free of its core of aficionados, it needs to.
So the club has made its kids programs as family-friendly as possible.
All kids practices and games, for all age groups, are held at the same time, on the same day. That makes it conducive for siblings to join as the whole family can enjoy the activity without schlepping back and forth across town all day.
Younger kids start playing flag rugby on a smaller pitch. Contact is introduced at the Grade 4 level and by the end of that season the kids have been taught how to properly execute a tackle.
Henery said it can be tough to ease parents’ concerns about hitting and tackling.
“Parents get queasy, but the contact is really like just walking into other kids,” Henery said.
Scores aren’t officially kept for kids’ games. Rather, Henery said, it’s more important to introduce them to rugby’s unique culture of respect and sportsmanship.
“No matter how you feel about the other team, after the game you shake hands, have juice and a hot dog,” Henery said. “It takes the pressure off to win.”
The Try Rugby event will expose kids to various elements of the game through stations that have been developed by the BC Rugby Union. They’ll learn a little about rugby skills like agility, running and passing.
“They get to try a bit of this and a bit of that and have fun,” Henery said. “That’s how we grew up with the game.”
Mike Gosselin, a coach and volunteer with United’s minis program, said rugby doesn’t just reward the best athletes on the pitch.
“Anyone can score a try. You can be the slowest kid on the pitch as long as you follow the team and you’re in the right place at the right time,” said Gosselin, who’s two children play minis rugby. “It’s a huge confidence booster for a kid.”
