Parents Guide to Mini Rugby at Stirling County Rugby Football Club
We are delighted to welcome your sons or daughters to play rugby at Stirling County. The Club has a strong tradition of developing rugby players and has one of the largest junior sections in Scottish Rugby.
Our guiding principle is that rugby should be fun. Our role is to develop a broad base of players for the future. We will provide opportunity for all players to be involved in matches representing Stirling County. We want to develop:
• A passion for rugby
• Rugby skills and knowledge
• Fitness, athleticism and co-ordination
• Respect for team mates, opponents, referees etc
• Pride in representing Stirling County
We aim to play open, running rugby with an emphasis on keeping the ball ‘alive’ and looking for space.
Age groups
We have teams representing the club from U9 through to U12. These age groups are based on 1 January dates of birth (essentially P4 to P7).
We have players start to train at P3 age group and occasionally at P2. These players will play touch. We would encourage parents not to push children into playing too early. If they are not ready, it can put them off. Similarly, if children go through a period where they do not want to play, it is best not to push too hard. It’s not uncommon for boys or girls to have a short break then come back keener than ever.
For boys of secondary school age, the club has a Midi-section, with teams starting from U13 through to U18. For secondary school girls the club is trying to establish an Under 16 team.
Membership
There is a membership form on this website (‘Club’ then Membership Fees). All players must join the club. For new players, we are always happy for you to wait a couple of weeks to make sure your son or daughter enjoys rugby. If anyone has difficulty paying the membership fee, do please speak to one of the coaches.
Training
We train on a Saturday at the Club (Bridgehaugh) from 9.30-11.00. Please make sure your child is ready to start at 9.30. He/she will need warm clothes, boots, gum shield and water. It can be pretty cold and children often don’t have much body fat. Please do make sure they are going to be warm (eg hats, skins etc).
Please arrive before the end of training, so that you can collect players from the pitch side. We do not want players wandering back to the car park (for their safety). All players are very welcome to have a shower in the club house at the end of training and parents are welcome to wait in the bar area.
We will have a winter break in the season from December 5th, starting back on 22nd January.
Matches
We play matches on Sundays. Fixtures are on the website and each week the details of the upcoming match will be one the minis news section. Home matches usually start at 1pm, so players need to be ready by 12.30 at the latest (some coaches will ask for players to meet earlier). For 2010 we have reduced home match fees to £3.
For away matches we take buses for longer journeys. In 2010 we will try reducing the number of buses we use, to keep match fees down (£5 when we take a coach, £3 for other away matches). We ask that parents organise lifts between themselves when we are not taking a coach, as the club cannot take any responsibility for transport in cars.
For away matches, players will need a change of clothes and towel. They will often need a packed lunch as well. Please avoid fizzy drinks and sweets.
At matches, parents (and coaches!) set an example for the players. It’s important we support referees and encourage players positively (on both sides) . Do remember, these are just young children. They will be naturally competitive, so no need to put further emphasis on winning..
Selection
We pick teams at Saturday training for matches on the Sunday. We will be guided by:
• Priority given to regular attendance at training
• Mixing the players picked each week, to provide appropriate match opportunities for every player.
We don’t know at this age how children will develop in the future. We want all the players to enjoy their rugby and hope that parents will support this approach.
Club Kit
The Club shop is open on Saturday morning in the club house. You can also buy kit through this website from Saltire Sports (enter SCRFC as the code to have stuff delivered to the club and save the delivery fee). We play in club shirts, black shorts and red socks.
Please make sure all kit is labelled. Boots must have safe rugby studs. Gum shields essential.
Child Protection
The club has a Child Protection Officer, Julie Trotter. All coaches are subject to the Club’s policies and Disclosure Scotland. If you have any concerns, please speak to the relevant Head Coach, Mini Convenor or contact Julie.
Tour
Each year we take a tour ‘abroad’ (England, Ireland or Wales) at the start of the Easter holidays. Details will be on the ‘Tour’ section of the minis website.
Your involvement
Everyone in the mini-section is a volunteer. The strength of the club is based on everyone contributing in whatever way they can – whether that is coaching, catering, transporting children to matches, fund-raising etc. Please get involved however you can and support as many matches as possible.
We hope you will feel very welcome at the club and will also consider coming down as a family to support 1st team matches.
