The Waratahs Juniors have been committed to creating opportunities for children of various ages to experience rugby. Here’s how we did it!
TEENY TINY TAHS AND TINY TAHS FOR THE LITTLE ONES !
Our Teeny Tiny Tahs and Tiny Tahs rugby programs were targeted at boys and girls aged from 2-year-olds up to 7-year-olds.
Teeny Tiny Tahs (2 to 5 year olds - must be accompanied by parent/adult) and Tiny Tahs ( 5 to 7 year olds) played at Waratah Oval on Saturday mornings at 9.30am.
The timetable saw activity begin mid-June, break for the school holidays and resume for the remainder of the season.
It was great fun for the parents - and the kids!!
It was a non-contact program, the goal being to teach young players the basic skills of rugby. There were also other benefits including increased development of motor skills, increased self-esteem and learning fair play and team work.
The program was run as a train and play program. This gave our club and coaches the best opportunity to give the players a solid base in which to build their rugby careers.
The seasonal program involved meeting and playing at Waratah Oval with no travel to other grounds required.
RUGBY FOR JUNIOR PLAYERS
Rugby is an excellent sport for young children to take up, and the earlier the better.
There are some misconceptions regarding rugby for children as parents may worry that rugby is all about scrums, rucks and mauls and most of all, big hits. It is natural for a parent to worry about this aspect of the sport however all rugby up until the Under 8 age group will be non-contact, usually playing tag rugby. This then takes away the worry of little ones getting hurt and at this age group both girls and boys will flourish.
It has been shown, especially in New Zealand where children become involved with rugby at a younger age, that girls and boys can become quite expert at the basics of rugby before the age of 6 as shown at Little Ruggers Classes. This is because children at this age are like sponges and have the amazing ability to absorb the lessons learned. If a child then goes onto to join a rugby club then the clubs can work on more rugby honed skills rather than teaching the basics. Essentially, it’s a leap up for them to go on and achieve great things.
Rugby is unique in that specific human qualities can be learned. It has been shown that rugby can help develop better concentration, discipline, tolerance and determination. They learn to work as a part of the team they are taught to respect the coaches and referees and thus learn great manners.
Rugby helps to build a healthy body, healthy mind and creativity is instilled in a child who takes up the game at an early age. The child will often bloom into a player with an exceptional eye for opportunity.
Problem solving, learning to take tricky decisions and having confidence becomes a lot more developed as a young player learns the game. Rugby has the power to help youths develop the capability of analysing and deducing some general principles of life while dealing with complicated problems, often bolstering their developing mental, social and physical agility.
The Waratahs Junior Rugby Union Club introduced Tiny Tahs in 2020 for those aged from Kindergarten to Year 2.
The intra-club rugby format on Saturday mornings was designed to allow very young children to learn ball skills and running techniques in a team atmosphere. It’s a program that will be fun for the kids as well as parents.
The Waratahs Juniors in 2024 is welcomed new players in all age groups. If you wish to register a child for 2025, details will be provided on the Rugby Xplorer app where you:
· Create an account
· Select ‘Register’
· Search The Waratahs Junior Rugby Club or postcode 2298
Check the club about Registration Fees for 2025.
Don’t forget to use your Active Kids Voucher!
CONTACT DETAILS:
· Email: thewaratahsjuniorrugbyunio1n@gmail.com
· Facebook: The Waratahs Junior Rugby Club
· Website: www.thewaratahsrugbyunionclub.com
____________________________________
The above information has been taken from a number of rugby sources and is designed to supply background information for prospective players and their parents.