Welcome to Old Laurentian Mini & Juniors Rugby Club
Thank you for your interest in Mini Tag Rugby at Old Laurentian RFC.
A bit about the club: it was created by Old Boys of Lawrence Sheriff School in 1919 and up to the late 60’s only old boys could play for the club. After opening its doors to those from outside the school the club has coupled success on the pitch with a healthy social atmosphere. In September 2009 we launched the Mini’s and Juniors section which currently has over 70 registered players from the ages of 3 to 10. We will continue to expand over the coming years and aim to have teams running through to under 19 level.
The aim of the Minis & Juniors is to provide a fun, safe environment for girls and boys of all abilities to play rugby. The kids will get fit, make friends, learn how to play rugby, and learn what it means to be part of a team. We provide a family friendly atmosphere at the club and we provide social activities for both parents and children including Firework Display, Christmas Party, Mothers Day celebration and an end of season BBQ.
We are also active in the community. The mini’s raised over £600 by completing the Sports Relief Mile. Our coaches have been running sessions at Brooke School and with local Beavers.
Training
When:
Training is held on Sundays, from 10:30 to 12:00
(Lunch is served in the clubhouse after training. The price of which is included in the £1 weekly subs).
Where:
Old Laurentians Rugby Club, Lime Tree Avenue, Bilton, Rugby. See find us.
Who it’s for
Under 6 (Very Young Players) - These young children will not form a team and will not be considered rugby players. They will be involved in Under 6 'activities', not specifically rugby type drills or games. This group will not be allowed to play any sort of competitive game under any circumstances but may move into the Under 7 age grade on their 6th birthday and can be immediately involved in fixtures. We take children from the age of 3.
Under 7 and Under 8 (Stage 1) - both age grades play Mini Tag Rugby to the same rules except that Under 8s can only be tagged a maximum number of times.
Under 9 and 10 (stage 2) - this age grade plays Mini Rugby to the same rules except they have uncontested scrums and line-outs, and are introduced to contact rugby. From September 2011 this age group will continue to play tag as part of a trial being conducted by Warwickshire RFU.
The children’s safety is of foremost importance, and all contact will be supervised and training techniques will be to RFU guidelines.
PLEASE NOTE: A player’s age grade is determined by their age at midnight on 31 August at the beginning of each Season.
Information about tag rugby can be found at the RFU’s website at www.rfu.com – follow the links for Community Rugby and Continuum Rugby. There is a document on the RFU website which will explain a bit more about tag rugby at
www.rfu.com/pdfs/technical_journal/tagguide.pdf.
Cost
The costs for playing will be £20 per year for a child, or £25 per family. This money will be fully refunded within 1 month of registration if your child does not enjoy rugby. This money is to both cover the costs of becoming a member of the Old Laurentian RFC and to allow for the development of mini rugby at the club.
Membership to the club is a both legal and insurance requirement. £1 weekly subs will cover the cost of after training food.
Parents will need to become Associate members of the Mini’s club in order for them to vote at AGM’s or take a committee role. Associate Membership is free.
Coaching staff
All coaches are CRB checked and are RFU qualified coaches. Please feel free to talk to the coaches about any concerns you may have.
Section Coaches
Under 6 (pre- school and reception)
Kim Webb and Darren Bonwick
Under 7 (Year 1 and 2)
Richard Wootton, Matthew Pritchard, Antony Webb
Under 8 (Year 3)
John Gorbutt and Leigh Fraser
Under 9 and 10’s (Year 4 and 5)
James Neal, Paul Saunders and Dan Volkmann
Our aim is to encourage the children to be part of a team and instil an enjoyment for the game of rugby. As such selection for matches will be based on the following priorities: age, attendance and ability in that order. As coaches we aim to improve individual player’s skills and help each player to achieve their full potential.
What to wear and bring on the day
Rugby training continues whatever the weather. The main problem we have is that we cannot keep the children running all the time to keep them warm, so layers are strongly recommended as it gets colder (Vest, Rugby shirt, fleece, gloves and windproof coat may be required). Thin waterproof trousers are also very useful, not only when it is raining but also when the grass is wet from dew / frost / rain. Layers can always be taken off!
When children start to play contact Rugby they must wear a gum shield. These can either be self fitting bought via a shop but we recommend children have gum shields fitted by their dentist.
Please ensure that your child's kit is NAMED.
Each session will include at least one break, so please bring a water bottle (named) and a fruit snack on to the pitch.
Code of Conduct
The club has a code of conduct for Players/Coaches and Spectators that will be enforced by the Club and Coaches. Please take the time to read these. The abiding principle of rugby is respect for the officials and we would actively encourage you to support decisions made by the coaches and officials on the pitch.
If you have any concerns relating to any conduct either speak to the relevant coach or the child welfare officer.
Running of the Club
Our club is run by volunteers and cannot function without people investing some time into helping run the club. We are always in need of coaches, people to help out in the kitchen, administration of the club or just some occasional help with club functions please contact one of the committee members below.
The club is working towards Accreditation as a Seal of Approval Club. This is the standard set out by the RFU of how a quality club is run.
The club is run by the parents for the benefit of the children. All monies raised by the club are reinvested into the club.
The Committee
Chairman: Dan Volkman dpvolkman@yahoo.co.uk
Secretary: Sue Pritchard pritchard.sue@virginmedia.com
Treasurer: Richard Wootton
Social Secretary: Kim Webb and Lynne Cannell
Fundraising: Vacant
Child Welfare: Antony Webb antony@primafinnpower.co.uk
Fixture Secretary: Matthew Pritchard mat.pritchard@virginmedia.com
Head Coach: Matthew Pritchard mat.pritchard@virginmedia.com
