As a parent you will no doubt want your son/daughter to enjoy their involvement in rugby union in a safe and enjoyable environment where there are opportunities to learn and develop rugby skills and also have a lot of fun. This guide aims to answer some of the questions you may have if you are considering choosing Barnes RFC for your son or daughter.

The Essentials

Coaching qualifications and experience:

Although this is only our third season, our lead coaches (most of whom are parents of our young players) either hold the RFU Level 1 or Level 2 coaching qualification. We also have 2 RFU qualified referees on the minis staff.

The Club has a full time Level 3 coach who oversees the training structure.

Ratio of adults to young people:

Our ratio for Under 8’s and below is a maximum of 1:8
Under 12’s and below is a maximum of 1:12

Child welfare:

The Club’s primary concern as your child participates in Club activities is their safety and wellbeing. In addition to the key aspects set out in this introduction, and in line with RFU guidelines, we have adopted four key policies to ensure your child’s safety and wellbeing is protected:

 Health and Safety
 Child Protection
 Codes of Conduct
 Equity

These can all be viewed in full at www.rfu.com

Costs:

 Individual child membership - £90 (includes the parents or carer)
 Additional children - £40 each

N.B. Membership is for the whole season i.e. 1st September 2010 to April 2011 and gives the whole family access to all the home senior games.

‘Try-out’ sessions:

We recognise that if your child has never tried rugby before you may not initially wish to commit to membership. We therefore offer two ‘try-out’ sessions without any obligation.

FAQ’s

When is training?

We train Saturday mornings from 9:30 – 11:30, at Barn Elms Playing Fields.

When are the matches?

Matches are on Saturday or Sunday mornings, including some ‘curtain raisers’ before senior home games.

What kit do we need to buy?

For training the only essential kit we recommend your child has is:

 A pair of studded rugby or football style boots
 Any form of sports shorts and shirt are fine for training
 As part of your membership fee your child will receive a Barnes RFC training smock

Children in the under 8’s and older groups must wear a gum shield (mouth guard) in contact games and training. These are available from John Lewis, and most sports shops. For more information on mouth guards go to www.opro.com

For games/matches your child will need a Barnes RFC rugby strip which is available to buy from The Club (cost to be determined but will be modest).

NB. Please ensure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather.

What happens if there is an accident?

The Club has documented procedures with which all coaches are familiar. A first-aider is always present and as a parent you will be present and contactable. The Club also has a Welfare Officer and Deputy who oversee all aspects of the players’ welfare and are in attendance at the Club on Saturday mornings.

How does the Club manage any issues, which may arise – i.e. bullying?

There are identified procedures laid down by the RFU which we must follow. Also see ‘What the Club expects of me?’ which is below. If you have a concern relating to the welfare of your son/daughter always contact the Club Welfare officer.

Are the adults helping with the teams checked and trained?

We adhere to the requirement of the RFU that all adults who have regular supervisory contact with young people undertake Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure.

How are away matches organised?

The Club organises fixtures in line with the requirements of the RFU Continuum which can be located on www.rfu.com and the RFU structured season. In practice we liaise with the Clubs the adult teams play to arrange games for the younger groups.

In terms of transport to away fixtures the Club is usually dependant on parental help.

Is the Club affiliated to the RFU?

Yes.

What does the Club expect from me?

The Club encourages input from parents from coaching through to administration. The general expectation is that:

 It is essential that a parent or designated adult remains throughout the session. For safety/welfare reasons you cannot drop off your child and depart the Club grounds during the sessions.
 Adhere to the codes of conduct within the Club, in particular the Parents Code of Conduct. This highlights the positive aspects of being a part of the Club and supporting both your own child and all the other young people within the Club.

The Club would like you to:

 Become involved in the Club as much as possible. This provides your son/daughter with the support to enjoy their rugby.
 Support the coaches by ensuring your son/daughter enjoys their rugby and plays within the laws of the game. It is crucial to develop a positive relationship with the coaching team and to support them. If an issue does develop then manage this through the Club Welfare Officer.

What does the Club expect from my child?

There is a guide for young people which can be found at www.rfu.com. This details the Club’s expectations which include:

 Fair play
 Listening to the coaches
 Adhering to the codes of conduct
 Adhering to the laws of the game and rules of the Club
 Having fun and enjoying playing rugby

What can we expect from the Club?

 A friendly welcome and an opportunity to meet new friends and watch rugby
 Opportunities to be involved in all aspects of Club life and use your own expertise
 Opportunities for your son/daughter to have fun and develop their game as much as they want to
 A safe environment
 Qualified coaches and responsible volunteers
 Relationships based on trust, honesty and respect where your son/daughter is valued and listened to and where their welfare is paramount
 Child Protection Policy available for you on request
 Clear lines of communication with you about your child, fixtures, training and events

Communication

The Club will need to ensure you can be contacted if required so we will ask you for your contact details at registration. It is part of the rugby philosophy that you are involved in your child’s rugby development. Please ensure that you build a relationship with the coach and support the Club by completing all paperwork required.

For any other questions never hesitate to contact the Minis Captain, Simon Bound who will be only too happy to help.

Age Grades
The age grades are as follows:
 Under 7 and Under 8 (stage 1) - both age grades play Mini Tag Rugby to the same rules except that Under 8s can only be tagged a maximum number of times
 Under 9 and Under 10 (stage 2) - both age grades play Mini Rugby to the same rules except Under 9s have uncontested scrums and line-outs and Under 10s have contested scrums and line-outs
 Under 11 and Under 12 (stage 3) - both age grades play Midi Rugby to the same rules
A player’s age grade is determined by their age at midnight on 31 August at the beginning of each Season – i.e. dovetails with the school year.