Coach wi

Training early
for the future

dan-Caristian Sorensen

Contributing Writer
BREAK ’em in early.

That's Paul Tinmperiey’s
credo when it comes to get-
ting kids invelved in’ the
rugby ranks

Timpe a
Vancouver resident, — was
recently awarded the 3M
coaching award in the reere-
ational and grassroots athletes
category. He was the ione
North Shore recipient and
one of only three B.C. resi-
dents honoured with such an
award.

Timperley, who played
centre for the National
League’s Division If Morley
squad in Northern Fngland
during the club’s glory days in
the °70s, emigrated to Canada
in 1992 for what was to be a
three-year trial vi

He’s been here ever since.

One of the things he car-
ried across the pond with him
was a desire to help young-
sters break into rugby at an
earlier age.

“What happened before
we started mini-rugby was
that kids started playing in
Grade 8,” said Timperley.
“And asking a kid to start
rugby in Grade 8 and play at
an international level for
Canada is like asking a kid to
start. skating in Grade 8 and
play in the NHL.”

Timperley, who is current-
ly the director of junior and
mini-rugby for the British
Columbia’ Rugby Union
(BCRU) and director of the
Capilano. Mini-Rugby _pro-

. gram on the North Shore,
first Jaunched the mini- rugby
program in Canada in 1997, .

He raised over $30,000
from jocal sponsors to assist
with the program’s kickoff
and also produced a coaching
manual and introductory
video to assist new coaches.

When the program was
kinched, Timperiey_ initially
targeted Grade 2 students,
but noted that they always
seemed to have younger sil-
lings in tow when they came
to practice,

“We had a whole pile of
kindergarten and preschool
kids sitting around doing
nothing so we decided to start
a group for them,” he said.

The mini-rugby program
now accepts players from ages
four to 15.

- But don’t worry, Mom —

the tykes don't get into the

_fough stuff or scrum it up
until a much later age.

“The first priority in the
mini-rugby program is the
safety aspect. The second is

. thac it must be fun. The rest
all comes Jater,” he said.

Timperley believes it’s cru-
cial to start kids early in erder
to build a solid foundation of
knowledge and skill for young
rugby players.

“You need to start carly,
you need to get good basic
skills and you need to fearn
things safely,” he said. “We
start with basic skills and thea
as kids move into high school

the coaches can concentrate
on the more ractical side of
things.”

The mini-rugby movement
has a huge following in
European — countries — like
England and France and such

West

rugby mainstays as New
Zealand and Australia.
Canada, said Timperl:y,
was the only country without
such a program wheo he
launched the specialty ieaguc.
“Rugby’s enormously

NEWS photo Julie Iverson

RUGBYPHILE Pau! Timperley, 3M recreational and grass-
roots Coach of the Year, with sons Simon, left, and James.

strong in those other coun-
tries, but that’s because the
kids start carly, they've got
great coaching and there’s 3
culture there. That's what
we're trying to build here. If
ou start them off at five years

SPORTS

hs award for

old vou sce the results
at the top end.”

VP oartendance is any
indicator, ‘Timperley’s
en the right tack.

Two years ago the pre:
gram attracted over
1,200 kids in 17 darter
ent clubs, Current!y the
numbers toil over
2,069 in 22 clubs
Timperley, who also
helped tG introduce a
Grade 4 and 5 rugby
program into
Collingwood school in
1995, projects a follow:
ing GF over $5,000 mini-
rugby players and 500
coaches within three
years.

Timperley is also trying
to spread his vision
across North America
to cultivate a more

competitive breed of

rugby player.
The mini-rughy idea is
creeping rather slowly
across the country -—
Alberta and Ontario are
just now starting to
embrace the program
— but it’s taking our
neighbours to the south
by storm.
Timperley is currency
assisting: groups in
Washington State, Oregon
and California in developing
mini squads.

Not one to take it easy for
any stretch oof time,
Timperley’s next project — in

wt ween wie

Wednesday, June 14, 2000 - North Shore News - 49

conjunction with the BORU
and Capilano REC chib —- isa
junior rugby camp for Grade
Tito 12 kids to be held July
24-28 at Klahanie Park.
Camp coaches will include
Canadian captain and haltback
John Grat) New Zealand Alb
Black and “Super 12” forward

“Dah

; Monthly

Calt or drop by for more details.

B% 1400 Mackay

Vee

., North Van

i-rughy program

Phil Coffin, Canadian nation-
alteam centre Ron ‘Toews and
other top Capilano coaches.

In coming vears ‘Timperley
is also Jooking to ereate and
host oa regular | North
American mini-rugby festival
with teams from) across the
continent,

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