How to begin coaching when the sport is not popular?

Rugby CoachCoach

Hi Narek, Have you contacted anyone from the IRB yet? Will probably be your best option to start with, as they maybe able help with development of the game in your area......

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

The assist for development here is mainly depended from financial aid for which I plan to use my own. So of course in time I will contact local rugby federation to make my actions official, but for the beginning I think that video demonstration will by good try. What do you think ?

Rugby CoachCoach

well I think that any introduction to the game is a good one and video introduction is good. Maybe getting them to watch the game first before showing them the technical side through video, or they may not know why they're doing things....

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Well , that motivation step to know why they are going to learn how to play rugby but first of all I think is good introduction because where, only football/soccer is popular. Also I need to know if it is important to have a least staff in order to begin trainings ? For example , doctor, one or two amateur coaches, etc...

Rugby CoachCoach

If I had to start coaching I probably would start by emphasizing on the importance of fun in playing rugby and teambuilding.. try them to get motivated to learn the principles of rugby because they want to for to get better at the game, and not because you want them to get better at it. it's important for starting players to have an intrinsic motivation. to introduce rugby you could start with touch - rugby and gradually turn it in to real rugby with tackles and so on. hope it works!

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Well, in my imagination and by what I can orientate right now, young (male) people whom I will introduce the game will be from 12 to 16 of age (maybe females also) so for the beginning I think you are right Marieke, better to gain interest by theory of making the game - interesting. Also, for the beginning I (we) shall clean-up and make our training ground better for training ... well that is not a big trouble. Another question - the training attributes (nets, shelds, cones, etc.). Is it important to have all in standards (to buy it) or by manually making it will also work ? P.S. I also have to buy one more rugby ball in order to have total 2 of them.

Rugby CoachCoach

I think that Home-made atributes would be just fine %3A) for starters you probably aren't doing anything to difficult, so a few shells and cones for grids would be what you need? a few rugbybals would be good idea, caus you want everybody to be able to play along i imagine.... I guess there isn't a lot of rugbymaterial out there? well keep us updated on how it goes!

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Well Marieke, I am just going to open eyes some of 20-30 lower and mid school children in age of from 12 to 16 (or more) and show them that the world doesn't end by football/soccer (as I hate that sport) and there is also such a great game as rugby and if some success, I will contact federation and thereafter we'll go as semi-pro. But for the beginning the most important thing is to demonstrate everything in a good style. So I will buy the second rugby ball, cones and ropes to initiate the first training day. Question - is there some type of rugby that is more better for beginners as they will not get injured in first tackle ?

Rugby CoachCoach

Tag- or touch rugby... and if you want to introduce them to tackling first let the people who tackle start on their knees, so they're not so scary for the other children to run into and let the people walk... not run...walk in to them, so you can explain the technique properly. after that you can let the te people who have to tackle stand up... let the people run in to the tackle on a jog and gradually build it up to a full contact running in tackle... that's the way i learned it and it gives you a chance to work on technique as well as not to being scared of the man in front of you... tackle bags would work as well... but in my experience, especially with older kids, if they learn it on the bags, theyre scared to get into contact with real people, so i am hesitant about that. and remember, fun, learning, playing well with others and friendship are the most important aspects of youth sport! and in rugby it is wise to teach respect for yourself, your opponent and the ref. sports with a lot of fysical contact tends to make children more agressive (research has shown this, see Sport-psychology%3A concepts and applications by Richard Cox) so you have to be extremely carefull and emphasize a lot that rugby is not a violent game!! otherwise the image of rugby is introduced wrong and parents will start to complain and you get the opposit effect, when you just wanted to teach the children the most awesome sport in the world!!

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Ok then ... can you give me some links of websites or books that are good for training kids and older kids from the beginning ? If yes please do so , and thanks in advance %3A)

Rugby CoachCoach

I didn't mean for it to come across that serious ;)... but right since I'm studying sport psychology I know a few books, but these are theoretical in nature and probably not so handy for simple usage on the field. Have you tried typing in "sport coaching children" on blackle? (enviromental-friendly google %3A) ) I will dive into it. there are also coachingsections on wedsites as that of the all blacks... there's also a book that's calles "rugby for dummies" maybe you can pick up a few ideas from that. [link removed] sites contain information about both coaching and training. I hope it's helpfull.. I'll keep looking!

Rugby CoachCoach

bugger I can't put down the links... ehm world wide web .rugby coach . com /rugby. com. au / world wide web. coach .ca but then written together ...

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Thanks a lot, but as the links are removed I want to ask you give the links by personal messenger through this site. Also I want to add that I need to make t

Rugby CoachCoach

how do I do that?? but the post underneath contain the links, only slightly altered.... where can I find the personal messenger thingie? bear in mind that I/m not a full member of the side...

Simon JonesCoach, England

Marieke and Narek

This is a great conversation but remember too that on this site we have the Six Stages to rugby which should help you Narek.

Good luck and keep it fun with touch or tag to start with as Marieke says.

Simon

Rugby CoachCoach

I'm so sorry mister Jones, I figure that if someone asks a question he / she searches the site thouroughly before posting, so i figured he would have seen that plan. thanks for the reminder!

Narek SargsyanOther, Armenia

Of course I have my training plan how to begin everything and the question how to make the sport popular that is not popular we are not discussing as for now :) About Six Stages - I will use that one also.