Henley
FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG
Henley Mini and Juniors
“Youth rugby is the foundation of the sport and should be the lifeblood of any club. We are working in
conjunction with established professional clubs to better implement a model to encourage both player retention
and give a clear pathway to senior rugby with a sound support infrastructure.
We are striving to implement the core values of rugby (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, and
Sportsmanship) and follow the RFU’s pathway approach. Coupled with that we have recently taken the ‘OLD
MUTUAL KIDS FIRST’ pledge to ensure we have very junior player from U6 to U16 interests at the core of all that
we do.
Finally we have set minimum standards for every coach to adhere to and establishing a ‘Henley Way Blueprint’
for what success looks like irrespective of whether you are a player, coach, or supporter.
The mood is very buoyant. It’s always exciting at the early part of the season with kids, coaches and parents
coming back from holidays and a new batch of U6s coming into the club. We have great new facilities and a
renewed sense of purpose about what we wish to achieve as a section.
We have set an objective of being in the running for the youth & mini section prize at the National Rugby
Awards. To do this we have four key pillars around Excellence, Communications, Collaboration and Growth.
From this we have established the tactics we need to develop which are:
• A smooth pathway from Juniors to Seniors
• Diversifying and growing our player base with a particular focus on both girls and children for whom rugby
may not seem the number one choice of sport
• Deeper engagement with the local community and the rugby community at large
• Developing our charitable work
• Ensuring a minimum standard for coaching and demonstrating what ‘best practice’ looks like.
It’s an ambitious goal with lots of moving parts but it provides a focal point for all that we are doing going
forward.”
Dax Aiken – Mini and Juniors Chairman
14 Issue 65