U12/Year 8 club rugby
Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2017 2:13 pm
Hi there - I'm a new user to the UAFC so please be gentle!!
Basically I'm looking some information from all you very clever people regarding U12/Year 8 club rugby as my young lad will be finishing Mini Rugby next year (2018) at Lisburn and won't be attending a grammar school for his post-primary education. He loves his rugby and, whilst trying really hard not to be biased, he shows quite a lot of potential and skill (much more than his aul dad ever did!!). His mini rugby year group at Lisburn seems to be a result of some strange genetic mutation in that there is a proliferation of really talented 10/11 year olds all in the same locality and they play really well together. Unfortunately most of these kids are aiming for the local or Belfast grammar schools and thus won't be around to play at Lisburn which is a shame as if these kids were able to be kept together they could develop into a formidable unit!
I'm a blow-in to the area who gave up rugby at 17 when drink, fegs and weemin took over my ambitions, so I have no real knowledge of youth club rugby in the Belfast/Lisburn/Co. Down areas at all. Our kid would obviously love to become a professional rugby player and play for Ulster etc in a perfect world as I'm sure a lot of 10 year olds would and while this may never happen I would like to give him the best opportunity to play as high a level of rugby as he can achieve by getting him into a good club with a strong youth section for him to progress through. This is no slight on Lisburn RFC at all but their youth system may not be as advanced as some others.
So after that long preamble I'm looking some advice on a club with a well established youth development pathway - even as far as Ulster U18 and and Academy possibilities (I know it may only be a dream but you have to aim high, right?!!) I'm hearing good things about Ballynahinch RFC and my young fella has hinted that he may want to try them out instead of staying at Lisburn. There's also the possibility of Belfast clubs like Instonians, Cooke and Malone as well as Banbridge as its further away but easy travelling down the A1.
Apologies again for the length of this post from a new user and thanks for reading.
Cheers
Ron
Basically I'm looking some information from all you very clever people regarding U12/Year 8 club rugby as my young lad will be finishing Mini Rugby next year (2018) at Lisburn and won't be attending a grammar school for his post-primary education. He loves his rugby and, whilst trying really hard not to be biased, he shows quite a lot of potential and skill (much more than his aul dad ever did!!). His mini rugby year group at Lisburn seems to be a result of some strange genetic mutation in that there is a proliferation of really talented 10/11 year olds all in the same locality and they play really well together. Unfortunately most of these kids are aiming for the local or Belfast grammar schools and thus won't be around to play at Lisburn which is a shame as if these kids were able to be kept together they could develop into a formidable unit!
I'm a blow-in to the area who gave up rugby at 17 when drink, fegs and weemin took over my ambitions, so I have no real knowledge of youth club rugby in the Belfast/Lisburn/Co. Down areas at all. Our kid would obviously love to become a professional rugby player and play for Ulster etc in a perfect world as I'm sure a lot of 10 year olds would and while this may never happen I would like to give him the best opportunity to play as high a level of rugby as he can achieve by getting him into a good club with a strong youth section for him to progress through. This is no slight on Lisburn RFC at all but their youth system may not be as advanced as some others.
So after that long preamble I'm looking some advice on a club with a well established youth development pathway - even as far as Ulster U18 and and Academy possibilities (I know it may only be a dream but you have to aim high, right?!!) I'm hearing good things about Ballynahinch RFC and my young fella has hinted that he may want to try them out instead of staying at Lisburn. There's also the possibility of Belfast clubs like Instonians, Cooke and Malone as well as Banbridge as its further away but easy travelling down the A1.
Apologies again for the length of this post from a new user and thanks for reading.
Cheers
Ron