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Rookie Rugby debuts on Seafest weekend

Prince Rupert’s rugby club is working to develop a love of the game in the town’s young sports enthusiasts.
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The Prince Rupert Seamen rugby club hosted the first Rookie Rugby event Saturday, June 17 at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre field. Several young athletes were taught the fundamentals of the game. Provided Photo.

Prince Rupert’s rugby club is working to develop a love of the game in the town’s young sports enthusiasts.

The Prince Rupert Seamen held its first ever Rookie Rugby event June 10 at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre field June 10 where eight young players were introduced to basic rugby rules.

Organizer Jason Scherr he was encouraged despite the relatively low turnout considering it was the club’s first attempt at running an introductory clinic, and there were so many other sporting events taking place during Seafest weekend.

Scherr said the participants enjoyed themselves.

“They loved it, we went through the basics of passing, the rules of the game and how to score,” he said. “Rugby is an all inclusive sport. It’s good for all body types and ages and you can have both girls and boys participating.”

Rookie Rugby is designed for younger athletes from ages 5-14. It is a non-contact version of the game that utilizes smaller balls and incorporates flags instead of tackling in a similar way to flag football. When a player with the ball’s flag is pulled, they have either three seconds or three steps before they pass the ball.

Scherr said these rule alterteraions make the game safe while younger players are learning the foundational skills of the game like passing, positional play.

“The currriculum has been developed to teach drills and various concepts of the game,” he said.

Scherr said the Seamen are working with a number of partners in Prince Rupert to get rugby equipment and the Rookie Rugby curriculum into local schools in the area. He said the club will be organizing more sessions in the future.