TOKYO AMERICAN CLUB YOUTH RUGBY PROGRAM, Fall 2016 - Class 12 Report
Sunday Dec. 4th
6-9 years - 11:00-12:00
10-12 years 12:00-13:00
We started the 6-9 years class with "Run Pass Circle". As it's something the kids are now familiar with its a good warm up and all sorts of skills can be practiced or introduced within it.
Today's calls were "change" (change direction and run the other way around the circle), "Hand-off" (catch the pass, come into the circle, hand-off coach, go back to running round the circle and pass back), "Sprint" (over take the person in front), "High-Ball" (through the ball high and catch it) & 1 new call, "Legs". This new call was meant to mean catch the pass, put the ball through your legs once as you run then pass back. The kids decided to interpret it as pass back through your legs, so I let them choose to do that also if they wanted.
I introduced "Attack Choice 2 on 1", this took the kids a long time to get right as the ball carrier often went diagonally across the grid instead of straight up one of the sides, or they started in one direction then changed course. I think its partly because at this age, if they the ball they don't want to pass it so they immediately try to avoid any defender. Here, they have to run straight toward the defender and then pass. I think its a good way of developing their sense of when to pass and how to work together in attack. So now they know it I 'll use it again.
We finished with "3 on 1, Coach DF (ball each)" so they could all have a chance to run around with a ball.
In the older class we started with "Double Ball Run Pass Circle" so this was a development of the "Run Pass Circle" where each of them has a different ball (basketball ball, tennis ball, small soft soccer ball) and the coach starts in the middle with a rugby ball as usual. They have to catch the pass and then pass the other ball back. Once we'd practiced that we added in some commands: "Change", "Sprint" and "Throw" (catch the pass, throw up both balls and catch again, then pass the other ball back).
The kids took a turn at leading this and creating a new call each.
We went over some "Back line moves": Hands, Heads (miss pass in front), Tails (miss pass behind), 10 Loop 1, 10 Loop 2, 10-12 Switch, 10-13 Switch (dummy-switch, switch).
In the gym its hard to do them with any width or pace. But its just meant as an introduction to the basics and they were picked up quite well I feel. I put this into some context by talking a bit more about positions on a pitch, the kick-off, the scrum and how the back-line lines up angled in attack and flat in defence.
Then we finished with "Attack choice 2 on 1"
6-9 years
- Run Pass Circle
- Attack Choice 2 on 1
- 3 on 1, Coach DF (ball each)
8-10 years
- Double Ball Run Pass Circle
- Back Line Moves
- Positions on a rugby field and scrum introduction talk.
- Attack Choice 2 on 1
Coach: Roy