Coaching rugby to children can be a real challenge. You have to keep things fun or they will lose interest. That’s what makes Fun Mini Rugby Games for 9-11 year olds such a useful resource for you.
Fun Rugby Games For 9 to 11 Year Olds is written by Eamonn Hogan.
After 30 years of teaching and coaching youngsters, Eamonn has put together some of his favourite training games in this new manual. The games:
- Will help you teach basic rugby skills to children aged 9 to 11 years old
- Are ideal for experienced and novice teachers and coaches
- Are easy to set up, understand and play
- Require little or no equipment
- Will keep the children active
- Will educate and promote teamwork
- Are progressive, so you can develop the children’s knowledge
- Offer great variety
- Are outcome focused, with objectives to achieve with your players
- Are energetic – the games are a “sneaky” way of introducing fitness
- Will encourage the players to try out things to find out what works
- Will let the children have fun, to keep them coming back, week-after-week.
Eamonn has been a coach since 1991 and spent his years in the RAF honing his skills working in England, Scotland and Germany. Upon leaving the military, Eamonn has volunteered his time with the Leicester Tigers Academy, coaching at club level, Constituent Body and regional levels in the Midlands along with multiple experiences at many State and Independent schools. Here he has worked as an educator in Sport and PE and as part of Special Education Needs Department which has added further to his skill set as a modern coach. Since 2005, he has travelled many times to the USA and has seen their growth as a rugby nation up close and has been fortunate to meet and work alongside many of their higher level coaches and some of their overseas guests from the Southern Hemisphere. In 2016, Eamonn was the only overseas coach to be invited to work in USA's first professional rugby competition where he worked with the Ohio Aviators. With a professional attitude and greatly influenced from his many voluntary experiences, Eamonn has significant empathy with modern coaches and the demands that can be placed on their time as he has lived through many of those experiences himself. Eamonn has written for Rugby Coach Weekly since 2012, authoring two of our books specifically designed for coaches who work with youth players
Jim Keenan –
Your “Fun Rugby Games” manuals has been greatly received at our club and all the “mini” coaches have been using it.
They are easy to understand and games are easy to set up, with all the children enjoying the different games now being used.
It gives the coaches great assistance in organisation and preparation for the training sessions.
– Jim Keenan – Dundee Eagles Junior Rugby club – Scotland
Tom Browne –
What I found appealing about employing the fun rugby games books, was that they allowed us to embrace them whilst adding our own concept focus.
The coaches appreciated the structure and once introduced the players (U13, 11 and 9’s) loved playing the games.
Provided great purpose and direction for well over a term’s work.
With tinkering these games can be made appropriate for older age groups as they combine game principles with festivity-GREAT
– Tom Browne – Barbarians Centre of Excellence -Nanyang University – Singapore
Roger Wood –
As the coach of U9, U11 and U12 squads at School and Club level, I am constantly looking for fun ways ensure that young players enjoy the training sessions, whilst at the same time developing their skills and understanding of the game of rugby.
The games in these books are simple to set up and easy to explain.
I am able to pick and choose according to the current needs of each squad, and it is fantastic to see how much they enjoy playing them; the laughter is infectious amongst players and coaches alike.
Although I was initially wary of introducing them to my ‘mature’, no-nonsense group of U12 players, they giggle more than the younger ones!
More importantly, they are developing essential skills without even realising it!
– Roger Wood – Director of Rugby at Highfields School (Nottinghamshire) and Backs Coach (Stoneygate RFC, Leicester.)
Peter Churchill –
You might like to know that the mini fun games manual that I recently purchased for our younger age group coaches has been very useful and is widely used – the feedback from all the coaches is very positive and is a great addition to their session planning.
– Peter Churchill – Sevenoaks RFC, Youth Development Manager – UK
Andrew Epp –
I found the manual incredibly helpful in planning and running practices.
The layout is incredibly well planned out and contains very helpful points.
I consider the manual vital to the success of our program!
Andrew Epp – Coach – Mini Rugby, Waterloo RFC – Canada