Mallow RFC Increase Girls Participation With Fun Rugby Programme
28th November 2018 By The Editor
Mallow's minis section has increased as a result of the school programme.
Building on the success of previous school rugby programmes, the Munster Rugby Development Department and Mallow RFC kick-started this season’s Fun Rugby Programme for girls within North Cork primary schools.
A one-day coaching course for transition year students at St Mary’s Secondary School in Mallow launched the programme at the start of the season.
The programme consists of visits to local schools in and around Mallow to provide girls with fun rugby sessions to develop their passing skills and encourage participation in non-contact ‘tag’ rugby games.
For this year’s programme and upon completion of the course, TY coaches delivered sessions to first year girls in their own school as well as to girls in 2nd to 6th classes in the nearby convent primary school.
Using the content of the coaching course and their own learned experience through the practical modules in the coaching course, the TY coaches developed practice plans for each class followed by a blitz for all the girls participating in the programme.
Approximately over 300 girls received coaching to enable them to play non-contact tag rugby over the initial phase of the programme.
Additional primary schools have been contacted for inclusion in this year’s programme in subsequent phases.
A Spring programme also ran from January to March, resulting in approximately 750 kids in 10 primary schools participating in fun rugby sessions.
Participating primary schools included Rahan, St. Mary’s, Gaelscoil, Burnfort, Dromahane, Buttevant, Ballyclough, Scoil Aongunsa, Bween and Shanballymore.
The school visits were used to provide students with an opportunity to play rugby and increase their physical and mental well-being, while also allowing girls and boys in the participating schools to ‘Give It A Try’ with Mallow RFC.
Mallow are focused on the opportunities for girls aged six to 12 years of age with the club currently expanding its minis programme.
A total of 18 girls have joined the club’s mini programme as a result of participation with the Spring and or Autumn programme.
