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Teaching Kids Rugby Basics

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shazbooger

Guest
My Nephew (8 years old) has recent started to play rugby with another bunch of clueless kids. Just wondering if anyone has experience in training younger kids in the fundamentals or rugby. Its full contact but there is no set piece at this stage.

I'm not the coach, but I'd like to sound more informed then I actually do (I'm used to standing on the sideline shouting at the ref and telling the players to "kill em" and "hit em". Unfortunately that kind of carry on is frowned upon at an under-8's match).
Anyhoo, the main issues are getting them to pass, and most importantly tackle other players on the move. Any suggestions on drills that can help them out?
 
My Nephew (8 years old) has recent started to play rugby with another bunch of clueless kids. Just wondering if anyone has experience in training younger kids in the fundamentals or rugby. Its full contact but there is no set piece at this stage.

I'm not the coach, but I'd like to sound more informed then I actually do (I'm used to standing on the sideline shouting at the ref and telling the players to "kill em" and "hit em". Unfortunately that kind of carry on is frowned upon at an under-8's match).
Anyhoo, the main issues are getting them to pass, and most importantly tackle other players on the move. Any suggestions on drills that can help them out?
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I would start with getting them to do a basic passing drill, so they can understand the fundamental concept of passing backwards.

Have them all start parallel, and then get them to form a diagonal line as they pass to each other..

Also for tackling, make a narrowish channel with a "tryline" out of cones and have 2 players defend and 2 attack

I know it sounds a little complex for young kids, but these are basic and they will understand with a little practice
 
For teaching the fundamental techniques of tackling, have the kids get into pairs. The tackler goes onto his knees, while the other player walks in a straight line to one side of them. This allows the tackler to get used to putting their head in the right place and tackling round a player's legs - but because the whole thing in done in a very slow and controlled way, they shouldn't get hurt doing it. There is nothing worse than kids being put off at a young age because they get hurt, or worse still their parents not allowing them to play because they come home covered in unecessary cuts and bruises. Contact at full speed should only be introduced with children at young as that once they know the right technique and there is no risk of them being hurt because they don't know what they're doing.

As for passing drills, I coach a lot of different sports and know first hand that young kids hate doing monotonous training. Passing should ideally be introduced in small game situations, as the most important thing for an 8 year old to get out of a session is having fun. It doesn't matter if they can't spin out a perfect bullet pass or make perfect use of an overlap at this stage. More important is that they are used to running with the ball in two hands, and are willing to pass the ball to a teammate. Some kids will be bigger, more athletic and quite frankly greedier than others. The most important thing is that the better ones don't simply spend all the session showing off at the expense of the weaker ones.

As long as the child comes away from practice with a smile on their face, the coaches have done their job. Kids develop at different rates, it's impossible to try and drill 8 year olds. They simply need to be shown the basics and then allowed to develop their skills while running around and enjoying themselves. At the end of the day, that's the thing they will remember most.
 
From The Desk of Coach Rowlan
Sunday, 11 November 2007
"Teaching Kids Rugby Basics"

My Nephew (8 years old) has recent started to play rugby with another bunch of clueless kids. Just wondering if anyone has experience in training younger kids in the fundamentals or rugby. Its full contact but there is no set piece at this stage.

I'm not the coach, but I'd like to sound more informed then I actually do (I'm used to standing on the sideline shouting at the ref and telling the players to "kill em" and "hit em". Unfortunately that kind of carry on is frowned upon at an under-8's match).
Anyhoo, the main issues are getting them to pass, and most importantly tackle other players on the move. Any suggestions on drills that can help them out?
[/b]
Click to expand...

Logorrhea, when it comes to children and contact sport, skills develop over time. The more you practice passing the ball with him, the more comfortable he will become. As far as contact goes, children have to learn that it's okay to go all out on the pitch whereas they're taught not to play like that off of the pitch. Some kids are born with that sort of aggression, others have to learn it. Again, the more one on one time you can spend with him passing and letting him tackle you (and vice versa, however don't go full speed on the poor little guy, this isn't a Monty Python sketch), the more accustomed he will become to the rugby fundamentals (see the article on handling skills).
One of the most productive principals you can apply at this stage is positive reinforcement. "Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping/quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable" (Stoker, Susan E., a href="http://%22"" target="_blank">http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/s...rnout.html). While we normally watch rugby on television or at our clubs home grounds and feel comfortable to ask Johnny Wilkinson why he's such a "twat" for missing that kick, a child needs a completely different approach. Professional athletes can handle the critisism because someone has been telling them for years that what they were doing was great; whether it was their mum, their father, a coach or teacher. So, you as an uncle (or any of our readers as a parent, coach or mentor) can be that positive, reinforcing voice in the back of his mind letting him know when he does make a mistake that he can pick himself up and keep going.
 
In terms of tackling, you must take them through one-on-one contact drills such as the one Webby suggested. One-on-one drills are very important and much better than using a tackle bag. As a referee, I hate seeng players fly at others as if at a tackle bag. In junior levels it is downright dangerous and completely unnecessary. More to the point tackle bags don't teach technique. Don't use pads use one-on-one contact and familiarise them with the good tackle position - generally around the waist, or a little lower with the shoulder driving through.
 
I coach a team of 11-14 year olds at my school, most of them new to the game.

I just break everything down really to it's basic parts. I also always make the point that the basics are the key to being a good rugby player. For instance, I asked a group i was working on if they though standing 2 feet part and doing the 6 o' clock pass was something they felt they should be doing. Some said we should be doing more fancy stuff. But make the point that even the best teams in the world do stuff like that. I do it with the colts, i do it when I train with the seniors too.

Just really work the basics and fundamentals, but make it fun. Turn them into games and such.
 
My Nephew (8 years old) has recent started to play rugby with another bunch of clueless kids. Just wondering if anyone has experience in training younger kids in the fundamentals or rugby. Its full contact but there is no set piece at this stage.

I'm not the coach, but I'd like to sound more informed then I actually do (I'm used to standing on the sideline shouting at the ref and telling the players to "kill em" and "hit em". Unfortunately that kind of carry on is frowned upon at an under-8's match).
Anyhoo, the main issues are getting them to pass, and most importantly tackle other players on the move. Any suggestions on drills that can help them out?
[/b]
Click to expand...

I coach an under 8`s team on a Sunday morning and there is certainly no contact. This is the same throughout England. The reason is obviously safety of the players but it also helps the confidence of the players who are struggling to catch the ball in the first place without the pressure of someone smashing into them. I have coached at most age groups and under 7 and 8`s is by far the most difficult and frustrating.At this age the amount of passing we do is very limited as most kids will sruggle to do the basis drill of drawing a man and passing. It should be more about where to stand, positioning, running lines and mainly fun.
 
im an under twelves player but I remember when i was in under 8s we did lines of 5 players you had to the ball along the line and stay onside when we got good at it we started puting on bursts of speed before we took the pass then droping back. For tackling aswell as the stuf said above we learned how to fall to ground safely by being taught the phrase nee hip shoulder head. Also do not do no contact make sure you let them play a game at the end or the or they will not enjoy themselves and quit.
 
Pro-teen

Protein supplement designed for kids in sport

Powerbeck Sports has been producing sports nutrition for athletes for the past 25 years having great success and producing world and British champions in several different sports. Due to our own children competing in sport (rugby, kick boxing, football) we tend to find our self in club houses on a Sunday whilst the kids have their after match meal and were shocked to see what they were eating. Hot dog, chips and orange squash or hamburger or ham sandwiches loaded with cheap margarine and tomato sauce on everything – come on what the hell is all that about. You have just had your child train twice a week and then compete for an hour and all they get to replace the nutrients they have used is junk food loaded with sugar, bad fats and carbohydrates, (that will not only send their blood sugar too high and make it crash down fast leaving them craving for crisp and sweets) but nothing to aid recovery and help the muscles repair and grow.

As Parents it's down to you to feed your children and make the choices for them, of course they are going to eat the junk food after training but would you. Do you go to the gym and train as hard as you can with your parents standing on the edge shouting 'come on' and then go home and get out the hotdogs, I think not – so why would we do it to our children. We all want the best for our kids and we get as much pleasure out of them training as they do so why not educate them and give them what their young bodies require to help them be the best they can, stay in a good healthy shape and let them feel good. Remember as our children grow they are submitted more and more to what the ideal body should look like and with more teenage girls than ever wanted to be a size zero and lads wanting to be as big as WWE wrestlers it is important that you educate your child from an early age. It's great they do sport so let's give them the best and start feeding our kids with the best.

Key times are for breakfast, 1 hour before training, directly after training or for super just before bed time. Pro-teen can be used to help your child gain weight, maintain weight or even lose weight if they are prone to putting unwanted 'puppy fat' on. Don't leave it to chance with the old thought 'it's only puppy fat; they will lose it when they grow taller, or I know they are overweight but they will be big and strong when they are older'. Today we have an all time high of children who are not only over weight but obese. How have the kids today got so unhealthy, lazy and to be honest fat? Luckily if your reading this your child has already chosen sport and they are active enough to stay fit – as parents why not do your bit and feed them with a perfect tasty drink which will improve performance and feed the body.

For best results have 1 scoop mixed with 250ml skimmed milk or water 1 hour before training and the same again directly after.

For weight gain have with breakfast and for supper – not instead of.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Powerbeck sport said:
Pro-teen

Protein supplement designed for kids in sport

Powerbeck Sports has been producing sports nutrition for athletes for the past 25 years having great success and producing world and British champions in several different sports. Due to our own children competing in sport (rugby, kick boxing, football) we tend to find our self in club houses on a Sunday whilst the kids have their after match meal and were shocked to see what they were eating. Hot dog, chips and orange squash or hamburger or ham sandwiches loaded with cheap margarine and tomato sauce on everything – come on what the hell is all that about. You have just had your child train twice a week and then compete for an hour and all they get to replace the nutrients they have used is junk food loaded with sugar, bad fats and carbohydrates, (that will not only send their blood sugar too high and make it crash down fast leaving them craving for crisp and sweets) but nothing to aid recovery and help the muscles repair and grow.

As Parents it's down to you to feed your children and make the choices for them, of course they are going to eat the junk food after training but would you. Do you go to the gym and train as hard as you can with your parents standing on the edge shouting 'come on' and then go home and get out the hotdogs, I think not – so why would we do it to our children. We all want the best for our kids and we get as much pleasure out of them training as they do so why not educate them and give them what their young bodies require to help them be the best they can, stay in a good healthy shape and let them feel good. Remember as our children grow they are submitted more and more to what the ideal body should look like and with more teenage girls than ever wanted to be a size zero and lads wanting to be as big as WWE wrestlers it is important that you educate your child from an early age. It's great they do sport so let's give them the best and start feeding our kids with the best.

Key times are for breakfast, 1 hour before training, directly after training or for super just before bed time. Pro-teen can be used to help your child gain weight, maintain weight or even lose weight if they are prone to putting unwanted 'puppy fat' on. Don't leave it to chance with the old thought 'it's only puppy fat; they will lose it when they grow taller, or I know they are overweight but they will be big and strong when they are older'. Today we have an all time high of children who are not only over weight but obese. How have the kids today got so unhealthy, lazy and to be honest fat? Luckily if your reading this your child has already chosen sport and they are active enough to stay fit – as parents why not do your bit and feed them with a perfect tasty drink which will improve performance and feed the body.

For best results have 1 scoop mixed with 250ml skimmed milk or water 1 hour before training and the same again directly after.

For weight gain have with breakfast and for supper – not instead of.
Click to expand...

At what age can you start giving them creatine monohydrate?
 

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