DISCLAIMER:

1
DISCLAIMER

• This course should be delivered by a certified
  course leader in order to receive USA Rugby
  Continuing Education credits.
• If no course leader is available, please enjoy
  this PowerPoint as a free resource
• For information on leading this course or have
  any questions, please contact Sadie Thomas at the
  National Office sthomas_at_usarugby.org
  303.539.0300 x111
• USA Rugby thanks you for your cooperation!

2

• Orientation to Coaching High School Rugby

3
Learning Objectives of the Course

• Learning objectives
• After completing this course, participants should
  be able to
• Demonstrate rudimentary how to coach skills
  including
• A player-centered approach to coaching
• Basics of a games approach to skill development
• The coaching cycle Introduction,
  Demonstration, Observation, Feedback
• Identify what to teach first including
• Passing and receiving techniques
• Passing and receiving games
• Identify key elements of safety including
• Elements of a safe environment and emergency
  planning
• Key safety factors of tackling
• Key safety factors of scrummaging

4
Getting Started

• Getting started
• List 3 things you know about rugby
• List 3 things about rugby that you are curious
  about
• List 3 things players like the most about rugby
• List 3 things that concern you as you begin to
  coach rugby

5
Getting Started

• KISS Keep It Simple and Straightforward
• How to coach
• The coaching process
• What to teach first
• Teaching passing and game sense
• How to be safe
• Safe environment
• Key factors and safety with tackling and
  scrummaging

6

• Module 1 How to Coach

7
How to Coach

• The coaching process
• A coaching philosophy
• A player-centered philosophy
• Developing game sense
• Asking vs. telling
• Skill development/key factor analysis
• Coaching cycle

8
How to Coach

• Why do you coach?

9
How to Coach

• What is a player-centered philosophy?

10
How to Coach

• Player-centered coaching involves
• Developing game sense
• Using questioning

11
How to Coach

• Game sense
• Game sense is the ability to recognize what is
  happening on the field and in response, make and
  execute appropriate tactical and technical
  decisions.
• Good rugby players are good decision-makers.
• Developing decision-makers is a coaching skill.

12
How to Coach

• Developing game sense by playing learning games

PLAY GAME or Modified Activity
Coach observes But rather than telling players
how to correct the errors the coach uses
questions to draw answers and understanding from
the players.
TACTICAL SKILLS FEEDBACK (Questioning)
Coach can condition or manipulate the rules,
etc . to create the desired learning outcome.
RETURN TO GAME
13
How to Coach

• Asking vs. telling
• Why use questions?
• When is it good to tell?
• Coaches need to be conscious about how they are
  giving information to the players.

14
How to Coach

• Skill development/key factor analysis
• What are key factors?

15
How to Coach

• Developing skills from technique

Recognition
16
How to Coach

• Outcome-based coaching
• There is so much to teach players about the game
  that sometimes coaches can lose focus on what
  they want to achieve.
• Being outcome-based means having 2-3 points you
  want the players to understand.
• Develop and stay focused on these 2-3 points.
• How do you know that the players have understood
  your points?

17
How to Coach

• The coaching cycle
• There are specific skills that a coach exercises
  in helping their players learn
• Instruction and explanation
• Demonstrations
• Observation and analysis
• Feedback
• How are these applied?

18
How to Coach

• Instruction and explanation

19
How to Coach

• Demonstration

20
How to Coach

• Observation and analysis

21
How to Coach

• Providing feedback

1 Ask questions to generate self-feedback
22
How to Coach

• Additional resources
• USA Rugby website
• www.usarugby.org Coaches Coach Resources
• CDP Coach Portal
• http//usarugby.learn.com

23

• Module 2 What to Teach First

24
What to Teach First

• What to teach first
• Passing and receiving techniques
• Games to develop skills from technique
• Game sense and passing

25
What to Teach First

• Passing and receiving techniques
• The passer
• Look at the target (the receiver of the pass).
• Turn the hands to move the fingers in behind the
  ball.
• Bend the arms and flick the ball with the wrists
  towards the target.
• Pass slightly in front of the receiver so that
  the player can run forward to catch the ball.
• The receiver
• Hold the hands at chest height providing a target
  for the passer.
• Reach out to meet the ball and catch it with
  fingertips.

26
What to Teach First

• Passing games
• Practice passing in game-like settings that
  closely parallel the game situation as the
  players skills allow.
• Progress the players from their current level to
  a situation similar to the game in steps based on
  their individual "readiness".
• Progress players, as their expertise grows, from
  common situations where an orthodox pass will
  achieve the outcome to the less common situations
  where they will have to adapt and improvise.

27
What to Teach First

• Passing games
• Game activities in one area (ten or twelve
  players divided into two teams in a 10m x 10m
  grid).
• Larger groups can be accommodated in more grids.
• The grid dimensions should be changed to
  accommodate skill levels and players numbers. In
  this example, the players have not yet been
  introduced to tackling. Full contact may be used
  in a similar practice session, but only after the
  players have been properly introduced to tackling
  using the explicit method. 
• Practice goal Develop running, handling, use of
  space, and decision making

28
What to Teach First

• Step one
• Warm up (10 minutes)
• Pass in any direction, using any technique.
• Try to make as many passes as possible, never
  dropping the ball.
• Players jogging freely around the grid.
• Variations include requiring different types of
  pass.
• Develops handling skills, use of space, and
  communication
• Step two
• Tag (10 minutes)
• Try to avoid being touched by the ball.
• Players on the tagging team must try to touch a
  player with the held ball.
• No movement while in possession of the ball
• Any type of pass is permissible.
• Start with 3 players on the tagging team.
• When touched, players join the tagging team.
• Last untouched player is the winner.
• Develops handling, running, decision-making, use
  of space, communication, and fitness

29
What to Teach First

• Step three
• Try to score over the line - 1 (10 minutes).
• Try to ground the ball over the opponents' goal
  line ("their" side of the grid).
• Try to get the ball to a teammate in the
  opposition's in-goal, who grounds it there.
• Players cannot run with the ball, but can pass in
  any direction, using any type of pass.
• No contact is allowed ball carrier may pivot as
  in basketball.
• Coach keeps score.
• Develops handling, running, decision-making, use
  of space, communication, fitness, and scoring
• Step four
• Try to score over the line - 2 (10 minutes).
• As above, and add the requirement for two hands
  on the ball at all times.
• Develops handling, running, decision-making, use
  of space, communication, fitness, and scoring

30
What to Teach First

• Step five
• Try to score over the line - 3 (15 minutes).
• As above, and allow players to move when in
  possession.
• Introduce the two handed touch/tag.
• When touched, the ball has to be passed.
• The ball is "turned over" to the other team after
  five touches.
• Develops handling, running, defense,
  decision-making, use of space, communication,
  fitness, and scoring
• Step six
• Try to score over the line - 4 (25 minutes).
• As above, and add the requirement that the ball
  may only be passed backwards.
• Develops handling, rugby-specific passing,
  running, defense, decision-making, use of space,
  communication, fitness, and scoring
• Step seven
• Warm down
• Continue to require players to handle the ball. 

31
What to Teach First

• Additional resources
• USA Rugby website
• www.usarugby.org Coaches Coach Resources
• CDP Coach Portal
• http//usarugby.learn.com

32

• Module 3 How to Be Safe

33
How to Be Safe

• How to be safe
• Safe environment
• Safety factors for tackling and scrummaging
• IRB Rugby Ready online course
• http//www.irbrugbyready.com/irbrr/RugbyReady.do

34
How to Be Safe

• IRB Rugby Ready
• Rugby-specific online course
• Free and available to all
• Includes videos, pictures, and helpful tips
• URL http//www.irbrugbyready.com/irbrr/RugbyReady
  .do

35
How to Be Safe

• Safe environment
• What elements are part of a safe environment?

36
How to Be Safe

• Safe environment elements
• Appropriate surface
• Hazards noted and eliminated or isolated
• Equipment maintained and in good working order

37
How to Be Safe

• Safe environment
• What elements are part of an emergency plan?

38
How to Be Safe

• Emergency plan elements
• Directions to location
• Communication plan
• Player information
• Insurance, waivers, etc.
• Family emergency contacts
• Medical conditions
• Location of medical assistance/directions
• Response assignments who does what?
• First aid provider
• Emergency caller
• Driver if possible
• Family notification

39
How to Be Safe

• Tackling and Scrummaging
• What comes to mind when you think about safety
  and tackling?
• What comes to mind when you think about safety
  and scrums?

40
How to Be Safe

• Key elements of safe tackling
• Eyes up
• Head behind or side (cheek to cheek)
• Spine in line
• Contact with apex of shoulder and neck on ball
  carriers hips/thighs
• Arms wrap

41
How to Be Safe in the Tackle

• Progressions for safe tackling
• Begin with side tackle
• Stage 1
• Players should both be on their knees, head up,
  and eyes open.
• Tackler drives shoulder into thigh with head
  behind and hands around thighs.
• Stage 2
• Players are still both on their knees.
• The player to be tackled moves as fast as
  possible past the tackler.
• Tackler then drives into the tackle as in Stage
  1.
• Stage 3
• The tackler is kneeling.
• Ball carrier walks past and is tackled from the
  side.
• Stage 4
• The tackler tackles the ball carrier from a
  crouch.
• Stage 5
• As in Stage 4, only the attacker puts his/her
  hand up in a pretend hand-off. This makes the
  tackler bend under the hand and drive in at a low
  level.
• Progress when player is ready. Go to jogging
  tackles and then running tackles.

42
How to Be Safe

• Falling in the tackle
• It is very important to be able to take the
  impact and fall to the ground safely. Equally as
  important is to insure the ball is next played by
  a teammate.
• Key points
• Hold the ball firmly in two hands.
• When being tackled, turn with the impact. If the
  tackle is from the right, turn to the right. If
  it is from the left, turn to the left.
• Do not put the arm out to cushion contact with
  the ground.
• Finish laying at right angles to the line of
  running.

43
How to Be Safe

• Key elements of safe scrummaging
• Strong body profile
• Spine in line, eyes forward
• Shoulders above hips
• Appropriate binding technique
• Escape plan/call

44
How to Be Safe

• Building the scrum
• 1 v 1
• Focus on body position which includes flat back
  and shoulders above hips.
• Its ok to start with hands on shoulders and
  build to engagement with head to the left.
• Tip 1 Tell players to force their chest out.
  This will help them stay up.
• Tip 2 If players struggle to get their feet
  back, start on their knees with 90 degrees at
  knees and hips and then have them push against
  each other. This will help them come up off the
  ground.

45
How to Be Safe

• Building the scrum
• 2 v 2
• Focus on engagement (head to left) and binding.
• Tip 1 Get players to try and drive without
  binding on their partner and then with a tight
  drive to emphasize the importance of binding.
• Tip 2 Players need to keep their spine in line
  on engagement. They need to see the contact
  point.
• Tip 3 Players should work to not move their
  feet after engagement.

46
How to Be Safe

• Building the scrum
• 2 1 v 2 1
• Focus on connection with second row.
• Tip1 Have players bind around the hips of the
  front-row and then through the legs and onto the
  shorts.
• Tip 2 Second rows need to stay connected
  throughout engagement.
• Tip 3 Discuss exit call if scrum goes down.
  Release the binds, throw your feet back and put
  your face into the ground.

47
How to Be Safe

• Building the scrum
• 5 v 5
• Focus on working together as a unit.
• Get binding tight and work together on the
  engagement.
• Tip 1 Practice the set up so everyone is
  connected.
• Tip 2 Introduce the scrum-engagement call and
  the appropriate time to speak up not situated
  correctly.
• Tip 3 Discuss exit call if scrum goes down.
  Release the binds, throw your feet back and put
  your face into the ground.

48
How to Be Safe

• Additional resources
• USA Rugby website
• www.usarugby.org Coaches Coach Resources
• CDP Coach Portal
• http//usarugby.learn.com

49
Wrap Up

• Becoming a curious coach
• What are the challenges we face as coaches?

50
Wrap Up

• Becoming a curious coach
• We ask our players to be better each practice so
  we should do the same. This is called being a
  curious coach.
• Curious coaches will
• Be open to feedback, both positive and negative
• Listen to their players and colleagues
• Be prepared for each session
• Review each session looking for ways to improve
• Help other coaches improve

51
Wrap Up

• Next steps
• Exchange contact information (if desired) with
  other participants
• Retain the attendance voucher for proof of
  participation
• Contact your local administrators to let them
  know of your course participation
• Complete (if desired) a CDP certification
  workshop

52

• Orientation to Coaching High School Rugby