Calling all clubs trying to grow U18 girls rugby..

Here in Herts, apart from Welwyn, none of us have enough U18's to field a team, and in Herts we have Hemel and Royston and maybe Hertford with a few U18's.

The plan is,

• one date each month we hold a session for all U18's not in leagues. 
• Ideally the sessions are held at a club with a senior women's section and a junior section
• and even better if the match is either a curtain raiser for the women's team, or after the women and the women can then watch the U18's. ( possibly also have an U15's match the same day, so a real w&g's day.)
• and we have one session in Herts, the next in Essex and so on,
•  and we make up teams and the U18's get to play a match and get to know other U18's and some senior players.

The aims are_

• keep girls in the game
• in Herts girls with high levels of commitment who are also lucky to have access to (parental) transport often gravitate to Welwyn U18s as it has a strong set up, the result being that former team-mates left behind then leave the game.
• provide girls with matches
• girls meet others
• girls get to meet seniors and hopefully this helps them to transfer to a senior side.

Outcomes-

• girls get match experience
• girls stay in the game
• clubs are pleased to be developing U18's
• clubs have an U18 team for the U15's to move up to
• next season all clubs have a few more U18's
• season after that, hopefully clubs are reeady for RFUW leagues.

Practicalities-

• it must be agreed before the day who is bringing a ref...until we know if we have enough girls for matches, then we should aim to provide our own refs.

• The hosting club does not have to provide an after match meal, again until we see if girls/clubs will committ and turn up.

• The hosting club in the early stages should be prepared to just run a training session if numbers are really low,

• but remember the only way to keep girls in the game is to provide the opportunity for them to play matches.

• Absolutely NO POACHING.

• the aim is for all clubs participating to hang onto their girls and grow, not to "help" girls to drift to one club.

• At all sessions girls remain in their own club colours,& hosting club provides bibs.
  
• Seniors from the club come and meet the girls and provide support and encouragment.

An extra-
we could also include the U13's, as I imagine we do not have many yet per team, and then they could also form into little teams and play against each other-same benefits, same practicalities....more of a training session with short training matches, I imagine.

Please let me know what you think.

Amanda Bate              
phone: 07523 119436               http://www.sportsupport.vpweb.co.uk