New England is hoping regularly scheduled coaching clinics will prove more effective than traditional all-at-once sessions.
Rather than stage single-weekend classes, the union is set to begin a program comprising consecutive weeks at various college facilities. Beginning tomorrow and running through early March, classes will be held every Saturday at Bowdoin, every Monday at Dartmouth, every Tuesday at Harvard, and every Wednesday at UConn.
The main draw is former All Black lock Blair Larsen, who has since coached in Japan, Italy, and New Zealand. The 12-hour sequence also could lead to USA Rugby certification.
With national budget cuts seeming likely, localized activity appears to be gaining momentum in 2009, from coaching clinics and referee training to championship playoffs, which have retreated from one-size-fits-all venues. If nothing else, local officials possess context and are not parachuting in only to pack off for another venue next week.
Initiatives like the New England clinics also suggest that local leaders are realizing that the big-bang projects which might have stemmed from IRB-funded high performance centers won't be forthcoming, and so are creating their own models.
'If this program is successful, all participants will become a part of the team that designs the next stages of this ongoing development process. I truly believe we have a real opportunity to develop a special and unique coaching development program here in New England,' president Fred Roedel said in a prepared statement.
As the clinic organizer, NERFU will subsidize places for as many as 25 high school or college players who have future coaching aspirations.
In Wellington, wing Justin Boyd's late second-half score gave the US a 15-10 win over Fiji, propelling the Eagles into the quarterfinals against Argentina, the day's lone unbeaten. Despite falling 26-17 to Samoa, the Chris Wyles-led side reached the top 8 by virtue of a 41-0 victory over the Cook Islands. The upset reprises 2001's surprise defeat of the Fijians, which also saw the US run to the quarters.
For years, many state high school and youth organizations have been asking for help in creating local development officers to do this very thing.
Regardless of the caliber of athlete that we attract to our sport, if we do not provide them with quality coaching and competent refereeing, we probably are not going to achieve the success that we hope for.
Congratulations to New England for taking the local initiative to get it done.
Posted by: Marty Bradley | 06 February 2009 at 11:46
Every good thing I read about US Rugby has nothing to do with Boulder/USAR, and our high priced staff.
What should this tell us? Ifs its true that an Eagles victory has been costing about $1,000,000. Think what that sum would accomplish if reallocated to something like this.
Posted by: wake up! | 06 February 2009 at 13:54