On behalf of Northampton Junior Rugby League Club, I would like to welcome you and your child to the club and provide you with some information about our activities.
This is our fourth year of Junior Rugby League in Northampton and year upon year we have grown this section of the club. Our aim is to provide opportunities for young people between the ages of 9 and 18 to receive Rugby League coaching so they learn the skills of the game whilst enjoying the sport at the same time. We also aim to provide a pathway to the adult teams within the team so we become self sufficient in terms of players.
In total we run 7 sides within the junior section which include Under 11, 13, 14 (2 teams), 16 (2 teams) and 18s.
We are Clubmark Gold Accredited and our coaches are qualified and have been screened for their suitability for working with young people. Any player under the age of 18 is considered as a junior within the club.
The 2011 season will see a change in the format of Junior Rugby League across the Midlands with the emphasis being placed on player development and participation up to and including Under 14 and they are detailed below.
COMPETITION FORMAT
Junior competition structures in UK sport are often considered a barrier to participation and skill development. Observation of the Midlands Junior League has also highlighted these issues. Recent examples has seen clubs losing over half of the players through lack of game time, mainly because of the rigid league format and coaches insisting on playing 13 a side against teams with insuffi cient numbers.
Why? Because they want to win! Across the UK competitive sport in junior leagues often adopts a winning mentality, with coaches coaching teams to “win the game” with player development falling by the way side. This approach then impacts on the professional and international game and perhaps more importantly on longer term participation into adulthood and skill development. This in turn can lead to rising obesity levels and low participation rates across all sports and activities.
Coaches who adopt these approaches run the risk of excluding late developers and players who want to take part in Rugby League for fun and enjoyment.
A club environment with a development approach that gives young people of all abilities the opportunity to play and enjoy an alternative form of the game is much more conducive to fun and participation.
Research would suggest that this approach in time will naturally produce more skilful players and prolong participation. In addition to this, our new playing structure in the Midlands will give players more opportunity to hit the magic 10,000 hours of deliberate practice that is considered the key to developing elite performers.
With the above in mind the following format will take place for all Midlands RL Clubs in 2011:-
The Under 18s League offers young men the opportunity to play full contact Rugby League between May and August. The competition is fully competitive, with play-offs at a regional level. The competition is designed to bridge the gap between Adult and Junior Rugby League.
Under 18 games are 13 a-side with the games being made up of 2 * 35 minute halves.
There are 8 regular league fixtures with the top two teams competing in the Grand Final. Under 18 games take place on Saturday kicking off at 12.30pm. A number of those fixtures will precede the adult games with double and even triple headers taking place on a number of Saturday’s.
The Under 16s League offers young men the opportunity to play full contact Rugby League.. The competition is fully competitive, with play-offs at a regional level. The primary aim of the league is to allow players to put their skills into place in a full game environment. However, all games should be played with player development at the forefront and necessary allowances made for teams who may be short sided or under strength.
Under 16 games are also 13 a-side with the game consisting of 2*30 minute halves.
The Under 14s activity is designed to maximise participation opportunities for players, whilst giving them an opportunity to put their skills into place in a game environment. The game day runs in two phases, with 7 to 9-a-side activity first providing an intense environment for players to have maximum involvement in the games, with Age Groups splitting into as many teams as possible to involve as many players as possible. The second phase then sees both Clubs Age Groups coming back together to play a 13-a-side game on a modified full size pitch to allow them to demonstrate their skills in this environment.
The games are not competitive and all games should be played with player development at the forefront and necessary allowances made for teams who may be short sided or under strength.
The Under 13s and 11s activity is designed to maximise participation opportunities for players, allowing them to develop and hone their skills in an intense playing environment. Age Groups split into as many teams as possible to involve as many players as possible. The games are not competitive and all games should be played with player development at the forefront and necessary allowances made for teams who may be short sided or under strength.
AGE GROUPS
To determine which age group your child will play for, please use the following schedule:-
Under 11 – 01.09.99 – 31.08.01
Under 13 – 01.09.97 – 31.08.99
Under 14 – 01.09.96 – 31.08.98
Under 16 – 01.09.94 – 31.08.96
Under 18 – 01.01.92 – 31.08.94
TRAINING
Training sessions for the Under 14’s and below take place on a Tuesday evening from 7.00pm until 8.30pm from March 29th 2011 to the end of August 2011 at Northampton Casuals RFC.
Training sessions for the Under 16’s & Under 18’s take place on a Thursday evening from 7.00pm until 8.45pm from March 31st 2011 to the end of August 2011 at Northampton Casuals RFC.
Arrangements should be made for your child to travel to and from training sessions and matches. We would appreciate it if children can arrive on time and are collected promptly. If you are going to be late picking your child up, please contact the coach from your team to let them know.
REGISTRATION
Players can register online at t.b.a.
Existing players who already have an ID Card only need to register with the club via the online method. New players to the club need to register online and complete the RFL form. When you hand this form to the club you need to provide a piece of identity for the child that includes proof of their age and one passport photograph.
The cost of membership is as follows:-
Under 11 to 16:- £35.00 per season. This fee covers Insurance, League Registration, food after matches, and the End of Season Presentation. There are no weekly subs and the club provides all playing kit. Any family with 2 children at the club pays £55.00 for membership.
Under 18:- £45.00 per season with the option of paying one lump sum or in 3 monthly instalments of £15.00. If a coach is used for an away game, there will be a cost per person.
For every junior player that joins the club, a nominated parent receives voting rights at the AGM and we would encourage all parents to attend this meeting.
If you would like to talk to someone at the club about this information or your child’s involvement with the club, please contact the team coach in the first instance.
COMMUNICATION
To be added
Over the next two weeks Abbeyfield will make a small amount of history in the region as they field a team in every age group of the prestigious Carnegie Champion Schools Competition East Midlands Finals. Even more remarkable for the school is the way the sport has taken off since the first session there just [...]
What do you want out of the new season? My new job might keep me away from the demons this summer so if I do get some game time I will be hoping my old body can still produce the goods. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? In ten years I hope [...]
