The Ospreys Community Rugby Development team has once again linked up with the City and County of Swansea's 'Active Swansea Team' to run a series of special coaching sessions aimed at introducing children to the game of rugby.
Kicking off later this month, the courses will run for a period of ten weeks at community leisure centres across the city, and will see Ospreys development coaches delivering a specially tailored programme to children aged 5-7, introducing them to the basic FUNdamentals of the game.
The sessions will focus on agility, balance and co-ordination, which are essential attributes for developing the skills needed for rugby, and there is an emphasis on fun, teamwork and fair play. It is hoped that the sessions will prove to be an excellent developmental opportunity, providing a supply line of players to local clubs in the Swansea area, with all participants being signposted to their local teams upon completion of the courses, with a view to them moving on to club rugby at Under-8 level.
Children will be taught through the medium of tag rugby (non-contact). The sessions will focus on the three main themes of the game - Running and Evasion, Ball Handling and Ball Familiarity, Tagging and Defending.
WRU/Ospreys Community Development Manager, Jason Lewis, said:
“The Ospreys are delighted to be working in partnership with Active Swansea once again at leisure centre sites across the city for another series of these 'Baby Osprey' sessions. These courses will compliment the work of the WRU/Ospreys development staff by providing 5-7year olds with an ideal start for playing rugby. We plan to work with all of Swansea’s rugby clubs to ensure there are exit routes from these courses directly into long term opportunities for rugby participation within the community”
The new courses start the week commencing 19th April at each of the following venues:
Penlan Leisure Centre, Mondays 4.30-5.30pm (01792 588079)
Morriston Leisure Centre, Tuesdays, 5-6pm (01792 797082)
Bishopston Sports Centre, Tuesdays 4.15pm-5.15pm (01792 235040)
Bishopston sports Centre, (New Class) Wednesdays 4.30pm – 5.30pm (01792 235040)
Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre, Thursdays 5pm-6pm (01792 798484)
Penyrheol Leisure Centre, Thursdays 4.45-5.45pm (01792 897039)
Cost is £30 per person for 10 week black with discounts for City & County of Swansea Passport to Leisure Scheme. Please contact centres direct to book a place on the relevant courses.