The Ospreys 2009 Summer Camps have kicked off, with more than 100 children aged between seven and eleven attending the opening two-day camp at Llandarcy Academy of Sport.
Hosted by Community Initiatives Officer Ioan Cunningham and a team of Community Rugby Development Officers, the camps provide an opportunity for boys and girls to develop their basic rugby skills in a fun and non-competitive environment, always proving popular with young Ospreylians.
This week’s session if the first of four that will take place over the next three weeks at Llandarcy and Pyle RFC, offering may children with what will be their first real experience of rugby coaching.
Ioan Cunningham said:
“The training camps always go down well and this summer is no different. We’ve had a fantastic turnout for the opening camp this week, with more than 100 children attending and taking part. The player development pathway is a long one, and while these camps are about discovering the game and having fun, they can form the first step in the pathway as they provide the first real opportunity for Ospreys Development Officers to work with these children and help then learn new skills, so they have a serious side.
“The enthusiasm amongst those participating this week was fantastic, they really wanted to pick up a rugby ball and learn. It’s fantastic for us as coaches to be able to interact with young children from across the region, spreading the Ospreys message and helping to build long-term relationships with the next generation of rugby supporters and players.
“Development from within is a key element of the long term vision for the region, which is why these camps are so important. We want every child in our region to feel that they can become an Osprey, be it a player, coach, administrator as a fan, we believe strongly that there is a role for everybody to play in the Ospreys’ long term success.”
This week will see the Ospreys host two day camps at Pyle RFC and Llandarcy, before hosting the final Ospreys 2009 Summer Camp the following week.