This post is aimed at people with involvement in the amateur games.

Having done a fair bit of research and having coached different sports at different levels, it seems to me in England we have an age group that are capable of learning and having fun which is the key at this age but get over looked when it comes to rugby league.

In Australia and New Zealand they run sessions from 4 years old in England these kids never get a look in.

I would like to see if initially any club would be interested in running a weekend session aimed at this target group, based around play but with an emphasis on developing rugby skills without them realising it.

I have an idea that would involve sessions in the summer on a weekend morning, with 1 parent of each child remaining for the session.

Its just an idea at the moment but would love to give it a go. Please PM me with any feedback, I am fully qualified to run such a session with the support of the parents if the interest was there.

speaking from experiance 4 year olds just are not ready to learn and it becomes more of a kids dumping ground for some parents.


good luck in what you are trying to do and hope it works out you must have the patiance of a saint.

my youngest started training when he was 5 (i was the coach) but then he went onto do training at a different club for 9 months before he was eligible to play in the 8s . This IMO gave him much needed confidence and basic abilities to go onto the field.
The biggest problem is its under 8s which cover 6,7,8 year olds and believe me the difference between a small 6 year od and a large 8year old can be immense .
I believe that they should be a under 7s and 6s like in soccer.

like b'tiger said you must have the patience of a saint . good luck

My idea would involce the parents or guardian for an hour a week perhaps on a Saturday morning.

I have done a fair bit of coaching at the Kings Sports Camps for kids aged 3 up and think they can learn the movements while having fun.

My oldest lad is 3 soon to be 4 and can catch, run and is comfortable with the ball and the very basic movements of the game. More importantly he has fun when doing it.

Do not get me wrong i am not proposing having a team of fully drilled and skilled kids just kids who are comfortable with the ball have fun and get out of the house for an hour on a saturday morning rather than being stuck in the house.

I have a degree in Coaching and experience coaching kids of all ages, although to be fair not much specific rugby coaching of kids so young but i just want to encourage them to have fun, get out of the house and get them comfortable with the ball and basic teamwork.

If i cannot get anything formal sorted may just propose a time to be in a park in Wakey with my lads and anyone who wants to join in can come across and see how we go.

My lad started at 5 and the only reason the club had a problem was insurance, he's never looked back and loves RL.

Jonh if you can get some interest good luck to you and if i can help out i will, coached fun rugby at 6's before, a long time ago mind and really enjoyed the fun part of it.

The feedback has been pretty good.

Forming a few ideas.

Basically i think it will be an informal thing, rather than a formal club/training type environment.

I was thinking basically first and and foremost it wuld be an opportunity to get kids together to have fun and socialise, with an emphasis on play and fun exercise, but with a view towards rugby and skill development ie catching and getting comfortable with a ball.

Would look to start in mid/late may on a Sunday/Saturday Morning.

I am concious that many parents do not get to see there kids socialise and interact due to work comittments and sometimes are stuck for things to do on a weekend, an hour "session" of play and inclusive activities would be aimed at improving co-ordination, confidence and social skills, and an opportunity for like minded parents to get together see there kids develop get involved in it and maybe give the other half a bit of a rest/break on a morning, and talk rugby.

Its very much in its early stages and thanks for the p.m.'s and messages of interest/support.

I would emphasis it is not about me and my "coaching" it would have to be joint effort between all the parents with input and contribution.

I am stunned by both my boys ability to pick up basic skills they are like sponges at this age, and i think it is a trait we can tap into giving them the oppotunity to a good active start in life outside of school.

There are many groups aimed at kids 6/6 plus but its a tricky area at this age and i think they are a group often overlooked.

With it being informal i would assume there would be no insurance issue as it would just be a group of people getting together to let there kids play.

This is my initial thoughts on it any further contributions welcomed.

spoke to the chair women up normanton and theyre up for it, its up to you how you want to do it, il offer my help if i can, so let me know il pass it on or you can come over and sort it. i dont know if youd want to do it there and say wesgate then stanley its up to you

As someone who has coached this age group a fair bit, the 4-6 year olds are vey eager and enthusiastic. The kids love having fun and if you can relate your games to the likes of Sponge Bob, Star Wars or whatever it is they are now into they you'll win every time.

The kids themselves won't even realise they're developing their skills but given a fun and positive environment you cannot lose. The earlier they can relate fun to Rugby the longer they'll stay in the game

If he wants to use Westgate then it won't be a problem, can't see any club having a problem with it.

I think its a fantastic idea. it already goes on in soccer - my other halfs brother is a talent scout for a well known premier league team who play in manchester and wear predominantly red and they recruit players as young as 5 and 6 who show early signs of the skills required and give them every oppotunity to get the best start in the game/develop those skills.....

The reason why it works so well in australia is because sport/health & fitness is a national priority and the nation has that mind set and such is drilled into the kids from a young age...its not detremental towards the kids - its just an accepted way of life....(like soccer is over here)

tell me, do they still do the skills tests with the youngsters whereby they put them in different situations like throwing, hand eye co ordination, speed, etc and depending on the traits they show, they are encouraged into a sport where those skills are usefull? example...a kid who can throw a ball a long way and has good hand/eye coordination may be pushed towards cricket?

thats something that this country could learn off....at the moment kids in this country grow up and the majority play soccer - its our 'national game' and it is just widely accepted that your kid grows up and plays soccer.... there are exceptions, example kids who live in predominantly RL areas, eg wakey/cas go into RL...

and why is it widely accepted that kids grow up and take up soccer? because the structures that youre talking about only exist in soccer...

personally, i think what youre proposing is an excellent idea, however, due to the attitude in this country towards such, i think a lot of people would see it as an easy way to get the kids off their back for a few hours and that luxery would be abused, sadly!

My opinion is at that age each child woukd have to have a parent/guardian who would have to be equally involved which would hopefully eliminate the baby sitting service.

I think at that age jonh parents that left their young ones to be looked after should be ashamed, my youngest nathan who is six next month enjoys the catch, run around pass but was shy of joining the practice session that goes on at stanley, most are a lot older, it would be difficult for him to join as lewis plays on sat, well done with idea and I hope you can make it work