Action begins for club's mini section

Several age groups attended a Blitz at Ballyclare and competed against the hosts, BHSFP, and Larne. The weather was great and all teams played well, with varying degrees of success.

Under the new directive from the Ulster Branch the focus has now shifted away from Competition to ensuring participation.

On Saturday afternoon, a group of around 25 mini section coaches came out to Eaton Park for an afternoon of training under the watchful eyes of Harry Harpur, of The Loop Training Consultancy, Tom Wiggins, Ballymena RFC Community Development Officer, and Cameron Steele, physiotherapist with the Irish National Squad.

The Loop is a forward thinking training consultancy who specialise in developing your people. Harry is a coach of our under 9 age group. He came out and donated his time to do his day job, helping and guiding us to understand where our strengths could be used to best effect.

Tom then took a Rugby focused workshop which emphasised learning the game through high intensity, focused training which concentrated upon playing the game itself. It also emphasised that our focus should be on fun and retaining players within the game structures, as the worst of today’s crop could turn into the stars of tomorrow.

Cameron Steele is also a Mini coach at the club with our under 10 age group and he then took a hand on workshop which looked at best practice when dealing with injuries both on and off the park.

The weekend was then rounded off with a Meet and Greet event in the Clubhouse.

Around 70 coaches, parents and friends were treated to a buffet supper sponsored by Jane’s Kitchen, and danced the night away to an 80’s Disco. As part of the evening a charity raffle was held to raise money for the children’s Rugby charity Woodenspoon and next year’s Mini Tour.

A big thank you to the following for donating raffle prizes, Helen Martin of Truli Scrumptious, Tony Walker of AWS Promotions, Ballymena Rugby Club, Milano’s, Jane Allen of Jane’s Kitchen and Scott Muir.

Woodenspoon also provided a signed polo shirt, signed by Scottish Rugby legend Gavin Hastings which was auctioned on the night. All in all a very enjoyable evening and Woodenspoon benefitted to the tune of 255, with 250 going to the Mini Tour funds.

The new season has started at Eaton Park for Mini/Rascals Rugby and there are still some spaces available.

This Saturday 2nd October is Ballymena’s first home Blitz and there will be a Big Breakfast fundraiser from ten in the morning onwards.