Ensuring Growth and Elite Coaching for our Juniors

Author - Friends of Warringah

With the huge selection of sports at everyone's fingertips on the Northern Beaches, it's become increasingly harder to acquire kids and parents to the sport of Rugby Union.

With Rugby being known for its physicality and perceived danger around key components of the game (such as tackling, scrums and breakdown) it's somewhat created a huge reluctance to get kids involved.

The new program offered by the Friends of Warringah (FOW) aims to assist junior clubs and

the Warringah Juniors by providing support around key areas in the game such as

the breakdown, the scrum, tackle technique, body position and neck strengthening.

The FOW have engaged the services of Sam Needs to deliver the program across the local district clubs and the Warringah Junior Rep program.

Sam Needs' background:

· Qualified with a sports science degree

· Qualified trainer

· Professional Rugby Player

· Technical Coach at GPS school and 1st Grade Shute Shield Club

· Author of Scrum Strong

The goal of the program is to conduct a coaching program throughout the local Junior Clubs that will support and deliver the growth of player participation in the Warringah Rugby District. Sam will focus his time around the contact area of the game and will aim to deliver awareness and learning around body shape, body positioning, strength and scrum technique. This will reduce risk of injury and give players confidence while providing security and understanding for parents.

The local clubs that will have access to the FOW Juniors Coaching Support will be the

following clubs.

· Narrabeen Tigers

· Dee Why Lions

· Newport Juniors

· Collaroy Cougars

· Wakehurst Juniors

· Terry Hills Wolves

· Pittwater Dolphins

· Warringah Junior Reps Program

The ultimate reward for the implementation of this program will be increased confidence and participation in the game. By delivering this program we'll be able to evenly share elite knowledge and coaching through the Warringah District combating challenging areas that are stunting the growth of our game.

The outcome will be less injuries and more positive news for the game of Rugby

Union. This will ensure that Junior Clubs keep growing and breeding the next

generation of Warringah Rats.