22 - Wednesday, Octoher 8, 1997 -. North Shore News

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SHORE J IFE

aid rugby: the next generation}

MACKENZIE Mills shows great form during the first mini-rugby 3-22"
Capilano Rugby Club. The North Shore club has begun a rugby prog:2
to 12-year-olds on Sunday mornings to promote the sport among the young.

LORMOTIVE

New program
designed with
kids in mind
By Andrew McCredie

Associnte Editor
andrew@nsnews.com

THE Capilano Rugby
Club is leading the
charge to bring the
game to a whole new
generation.

Over the past few years the
North Shore club has fielded
elite junior teams that have
dominated provincial play and
served as the proving ground
for up-and-coming national
players. The men’s junior team
has won the Vancouver league
five of the last six years, and the
provincial championship three
of those seasons. In addition,
this year the Caps have started
a women’s side — a club first.

And club members can take
much of the credit for the
high-calibre rugby played at
North Shore junior and senior
secondary schools.

So it should be no surprise
that the Caps are bringing the
game to the next generation.

The club and the British
Columbia Rugby — Union
(BCRU) have joined forces to
develop a unique mini-rugby
program for children age five
to 12. More specifically, the
mini-rugby program is the
brain-child of Capilano club
member Paul Timpericy.

“I used to coach mini-
rugby in England and when I

came over here (tive vears ago:
there was no opportunity ‘for
young children to do that,”
atid Timperles, whe has voung
children.

Necessity being the mother
of invention, Timperley decid-
ed to create a mini-rugby pro-
gram at the Capilano Club. He
approached the club and the
BCRU with a proposal based
on his experience back in
England, and was received
with open arms,

The Rugby Union has
operated summer rugby camps
for youngsters for the past few
years, but for Timperley the
real learning and enjoyment
for the kids comes from a
weekly Sunday morning, ses-
sion.

“We start off with very
much non-contact rugby for
the little guys,” says Timperley.
“Most mums have got in their
mind that their kids are going
to go out and play rugby and
have their nose broken.

“We've got to get over thar
(perception).”

Instead, the mini-rugby
program emphasizes skills such
as passing, kicking and catch-
ing.

“We're presenting it as 2
very fun game; very safe, very
controlled.”

Tackling and full scrim-
mage action starts for children
age nine and over, and even
then the contact aspect of the
game is underplayed.

“They learn to handle the
ball comfortably, they learn to
run with a ball and pick it up,”
says Timperley. “And then as
they get older they get more
involved and learn about tack-

ing and racking the ball.”

‘Timperley’s youngest son,
age four, is the voungest mem-
ber of the Cap’s mini-rugby
program: “f just took him
along to watch, and the coact:
saw him and said ‘Come on
thea.”

‘The first Sunday session of

the mini-rugbv program was §

deemed 2 Success by
Timperley, who said most of
the youngsters
members’ kids. He’s now turm-
ing his sights on the general
public.

This Sunday’s session is a
Buddy Day,
members bring buddies for a
free introductory session.

“We're hoping that next
year the mini-rugby program
can be linked to our existing
Under-17. team,” — adds
Timperley. “We'll have them
then right through the age of
five.”

He also hopes that other
club’s in B.C. start their own
mini-rugby programs.

“What I want to see happen

is that once a month, two or ©

three clubs get together and
run a tournament,” he says.
“Non-elitist. Every kid that
runs up gets a game. It gives
these kids the opportunity to
play as part of a team.”
Mini-rugby sessions take,
lace Sunday mornings
tween 10 and 11 am. at
Klahanie Park (behind Earl’s
Restaurant on Marine Drive).
The winter session runs to

Dec. 14; the. spring session.

runs Feb. 8 eoneh May fa
Registration is $25 per c

For more forbation call |
Paul Timperley at 921-6623.

North Vancouver

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