Childrens rugby

Little Ruggers Rugby Based Play Classes Come To Hertfordshire

Little Ruggers

Most rugby clubs in the UK have a provision for mini rugby for children aged 6 to 7 onwards, however a relatively new phenomenon is the rise of rugby themed classes specifically aimed at the younger age groups from 18 months to 7 years of age.

It seems that if parents want to introduce their children to team sports then the options are limited from 2 to 7 years unless you choose a football based class.

This is about to change in Hertfordshire with the advent of Little Ruggers a Rugby themed play class utilizing the transferable skills of rugby whilst instilling confidence and social life skills though there curriculum. The curriculum has been designed by Rugby coaches, teachers and child development specialists.

Little Ruggers will be working with rugby clubs across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire to enable them to offer rugby at or near their clubs from age 2 to 7 years. This will benefit those clubs immensely by providing skilled and confident children entering mini rugby at age seven.

Some may have preconceptions of rugby being a rough and tough sport which it can be once children reach the under 9 age group at mini rugby. However at Little Ruggers age 2 to 7 years age it is an positively active and fun activity with no contact whatsoever. Little Ruggers is designed so that it will equally appeal to both girls and boys.

Little Ruggers Coach Jag Johal has extensive experience within rugby having played at Wasps, Moseley, Worcester Warriors and Tabard. Now back at his boyhood club Letchworth Rugby Club having served as first team captain for a number of season, he is now first team manager/player. In addition to still playing, Jag has also been actively involved with coaching mini rugby and his twin boys, who both play in the under 8s at Letchworth Rugby Club. Jag is very clear that to keep children entertained and within the sport of rugby then it has to be a fun and positive experience.

The fun at Little Ruggers is achieved using rugby specific skills, social skills and confidence building. It is believed that these skills can not only be developed further on the rugby field later on but also these are life skills which will be transferred into all other areas such as school and other sporting endeavors.

Jag goes on to explain that in New Zealand children are encouraged to participate in Rugby from around age four to five compared to age seven in the UK, which could be the reason for their huge success in the game. The Little Ruggers curriculum has been designed to address this gap in rugby skills by equipping children with the right skills to help give them a head start in not just rugby but all aspects of their lives. An alternative to football classes within this age group is here so get involved.

I think it is a good idea for children to be active from a young age. It instills a healthy lifestyle which they can take into there adult life. It is fantastic that there is a rugby alternative in place and rugby clubs in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas will now have the ability to offer rugby from age 2 to senior rugby.

For further information please click here to see Little Ruggers Website.