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Dave Hockaday - Community Development Officer
I know you are going to enjoy playing rugby at Verwood Junior Rugby Club. All the coaching team are qualified to RFU Level 1 standard and four additional coaches qualified in the summer of 2003. The club is well managed and organised and is friendly, effective and safe. Our Sunday coaching sessions are now in full swing.
Our Sunday coaching sessions are now in full swing. From 10.30 am at Potterne Park Verwood until 12.00am. Junior membership is only £30 per season and includes all training and playing sessions. Alternatively we offer a Standing Order facility whereby those that prefer can pay the modest sum of £3 per month.
This season our efforts are primarily aimed at running teams at U14 & U15 (school years 9 & 10). However we will happily set up squads at other age groups if there is sufficient interest from the children and support from the parents.
Any parents, ex-players or others wishing to get involved in supporting the lads or assisting in coaching or other activities associated with running a rugby team will be made most welcome. For all enquires please contact Alan Rex by following the link or just turn up on a Sunday morning for a chat.
Squad Picture
Verwood v Wellington April 2007
Verwood v Oakmedians April 2006
Squad Picture
Verwood v Oakmedians December 2005
The Junior Section is all about getting children playing and enjoying rugby in a friendly and safe environment and developing their potential in a structured way.
RFU Continuum
The Continuum 2006/7 is now available on the RFU's Web Site See Continuum
Hillside First School Initiative
As part of its Community Rugby Programme, Verwood RUFC worked in partnership
with Hillside First School in 2002 to introduce Tag Rugby to the 7-9 year
groups. This is a safe, non-contact version of the game which concentrates
on ball handling and running skills. Dave Hockaday of Verwood RUFC co-ordinated
this initiative. He said, “I’m very pleased to be working with Hillside.
As a club we are conscious that the amount of sport played by children
in Primary Schools each week has dropped off and that the budget for sports
equipment is very limited. We have been assisted with funding from the
Keith Hesketh Memorial Fund to deliver our initiative. We want to deliver
coaching to schools in Verwood and give children the chance to experience
the fun and excitement of rugby and competition.”
Dan Brown, the Rugby Football Union Rugby Development Officer for Dorset added “ We have adopted Tag Rugby as the official introduction of the sport to young children between the ages of 7 and 11. Tag Rugby eliminates body contact, which makes it particularly suitable for learning and developing skills. We are always pleased to work with Verwood RUFC who are showing their commitment to developing the game in Verwood with this programme. The mini players of today are the internationals of the future, so it is essential that we provide them with all the support and encouragement we possibly can. The Tag Rugby Equipment was provided under the Ford Tag initiative which includes tags, balls, a law book, a video and a bag to put it all in.”
District Councillor Geoff Humphrey presented certificates to each of the children who completed Verwood RUFC’s course.
Verwood RUFC's Summer Academy 2002
The second phase of the Club's Youth Development programme commenced on Sunday 23rd June 2002 with the start of the Club's Summer Academy for 7-12 year olds. This ran for for six weeks on Sunday mornings at Potterne Park ending on 28th July. The Academy organiser is the Club's Community Rugby officer, Dave Hockaday. He said: " I was pleased with the turnout with an average of 30+ enthusiastic youngsters attending the sessions. This builds on the success of our Hillside First School initiative".
Picture: Mark Ramsey doing his bit for youth development.
The RFU intends to make it mandatory that everyone coaching players within the Continuum will be qualified to the required level prior to working with a particular age grade.
See the useful Information at www.coachingrugby.com
Awards For All Grant 2002
Verwood RUFC awere awarded a grant of £4,737 by the National Lottery’s Awards for All programme.
Dave Hockaday, Verwood RUFC’s Community Rugby Officer, co-ordinated the application. He said, “I’m delighted that we have been successful. As a club, we have been planning the establishment of a junior section of Verwood RUFC over the last 12 months. This follows on from our six week coaching of Tag Rugby at Hillside First School and a Summer Academy which we ran during July & August. We launched our junior section for the under 7 to under 12 age groups on 6th October which, to date, has been a resounding success”.
Dan Brown, the Rugby Football Union's Rugby Development Officer for Dorset, added “I am delighted that Verwood RUFC have received this award as the Club is working hard to introduce youngsters to Rugby in Verwood. This funding will provide the necessary finance to develop their junior section and its plans for further School projects over the next 12 months”.
Ken Banks, Chairman of Verwood RUFC said, “ This is marvellous news for us. Now we’ve got the money its time for the real work to start".
For an Awards for All application pack please call 0845 600 20 40 or
visit www.awardsforall.org.uk