Peebles Piranhas

Parents Welcome Booklet 2015 - 2016www.peeblesrfc.org

Welcome to Peebles Piranhas, the Minis Section ofPeebles Rugby Football Club

Our Mission

We will, through rugby, create a posi-tive, inclusive environment in which todevelop young people by valuing:

Friendship and respect

Inclusion and involvement

Enjoyment and fun

Ambition and competition

In conjunction with other Bordersclubs we introduce children of primaryschool age to rugby union throughstructured coaching sessions, playerdevelopment programmes and tour-naments throughout the season. Weoffer mini, tag, touch and new imagerugby all in accordance with guidelinesset out by the Scottish Rugby Union

This introductory booklet has been produced for you as a parent or carer of childrentaking part in rugby-related activity with us. More information is available on the Pee-bles RFC website (www.peeblesrfc.org) and www.scottishrugby.org. Please contactone of the coaching team if you have any further questions. We aim to develop basicskills and agility, improve confidence in younger children (P1-P3) and introduce themto the simple ethics and concept of sports. In older children we look to reinforcethese principles, introduce contact skills (P4), develop game awareness (P5) andprogress to more complex areas of the game like scrums and lineouts (P6 and P7 re-spectively).

OrganisationRegistration

All children taking part in rugby activities with us must be registered with the PeeblesRFC Mini section by completing the Registration Form available on the website or withone of the coaches. This is to ensure that we are fully informed of any pertinent medicalconditions, and also that we have the necessary contact details for your child.

The annual subscription for the mini section is £25, which includes the standard SRUPlayer Insurance. It would greatly help if this could be remitted as soon as possible witha completed membership form to the Peebles RFC Membership Secretary. Please noteyour child will not be allowed to play matches or attend organised trips unless this sub-scription is up to date.

Communication

Please ensure your email, address, home and mobile telephone numbers are registeredwith us so that we can contact you to keep you updated during the season with informa-tion on changes or cancellations of training or matches, and to confirm fixture venues and

venues and times. Information will also be availablethrough the Minis/Piranhas section of the Peebles RFCwebsite and in the Peebleshire News.

Training

Coaching sessions take place on Sundays in Peebles atHaylodge Park, starting at 10am . We also take part intournaments with other Borders clubs: please check thefixture list and website for more details.

The first session is Sunday 23rd August. We will train atPeebles High School from 15.11.15 - 7.2.16 with abreak from 13.12.15 - 10.1.16. Our final session is on22.5.16. For security reasons we ask that parents andcarers collect their children promptly and in person aftertraining.

Away Matches and Tournaments

We take part in joint coaching sessions and tournaments with other Borders clubs. Squad sizes depend on age groupsand the host club. Generally, teams are 10 players from a squad of 14 in P7, 8 from 12 in P6, 6 from 10 from P3-P5. P1and P2 players do not take part in tournaments.

In age groups where we’ve more players than allowable squad sizes, we will select squads to attend. Whilst we try to bal-ance teams to compete, our focus is on giving ALL PIRANHAS the same opportunity to play for the club and so rotate play-ers for different tournaments. Training sessions will be run in Peebles for players who don’t attend tournaments.

This season’s fixtures are included in this booklet and are also available on the website, but remember they are subject tochange. We provide bus transport to some away matches, departing from the Gytes Leisure Centre Car Park and aimingto be at the venue 45 minutes before the first match starts. Travel arrangements will be included nearer the time, soplease look at the website and/or the Peebleshire News for details.

We will take a register of children travelling on the coach for that day; children making their way with parents/carers tothese fixtures are required to ravel back with the parent or carer they travelled with.

Please note that parents/carers dropping off children are required to sign children on to the bus and must leave a contactnumber with the coordinating coach on the day. It is not sufficient for the child to tell the coaching team the return plansof the child. For security reasons we ask that parents collect their children from the Gytes car park when the bus returns.

Children should have with them cold/wet weather gear to stay warm and dry because there are often long breaks be-tween games at tournaments. Children should also bring a change of clothes for the return journey.

Home Matches and Hospitality

For home games we hope to enlist the help of 2 or 3 parents for about 2 hours in the preparation and serving of a simplemeal e.g. sausage roll, hot dogs, crisps and juice in the Eastgate Clubrooms. Should you be willing to assist, please tick thebox at the foot of the Registration Form you complete for your child/children.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups

The Protection of Vulnerable Group Scheme (PVG Scheme) is the disclosure scheme that helps to ensure those who haveregular contact with children through paid and voluntary work are appropriately vetted to do so. All Piranhas coaches arerequired to undertake this process, which is coordinated through the club’s Child Protection Officer.

Player Personal Clothing and Equipment

All participating children must wear appropriate clothing. Please ensure your child/children bring plenty of drinks (i.e.water) as the children work hard and get thirsty.

Player Personal Clothing and Equipment

In keeping with SRU guidelines, all players from P4 upwards are required to wear a mouth guard during practice ses-sions and matches (there is no contact P1-P3). A good mouth guard protects the teeth and surrounding soft tissue -and should be properly fitted: an incorrectly fitted mouth guard does not provide protection and becomes a chokinghazard. We ask that you ensure your child/children come to training and games with a correctly fittedmouthguard/gum shield. Please speak to the coaches if you need more information.

Footwear

Players’ boots should be in good condition and the cleats/studs should not be worn or sharp. Older children (P6-7)should not practise scrummaging in running shoes or cross trainers as they do not provide the stability required.

Goggles

An IRB global rugby trial is in place for 2014-2015 season to allow players who need to wear corrective lenses to do sowhile playing rugby. Goggles are available in one size, with an adjustable headband and do not provide added protec-tion. Polycarbonate lenses must be fitted by a qualified optician. Please see playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/goggles formore details and how to order.Match Day ClothingFor matches both away and at home, navy blue shorts and redsocks should be worn. For training, players should wear a sportstop, shorts or tracksuit bottoms and thick socks. In colder/wetterweather, some form of tracksuit and waterproof jacket is also ad-visable. On match days we encourage players to wear their ownPiranhas jerseys - though there will be some spare if needed. Youshould ensure that appropriate warm clothing is provided.Players should not wear hooded training tops as this becomes tootempting a target for a tackler (hoodies are great to keep warmafter training though!). Zips, jewellery and other items that may bedangerous or cause injury to the player or his/her opponentsshould not be used or worn. Children requiring spectacles shouldbring a suitable case with which to store their glasses duringgames.Piranha clothing is available fromwww.rugbystuff.com/peebles-piranhas/cat-159.html

Fixture List 2015 - 2016

2015 2016 23rd August First session at Gytes 3rd January Xmas break 30th August Training - Haylodge 10th January Training PHS 6th September Training - Haylodge 17th January Training PHS 13th Septmeber Peebles Tournament 24th January Training PHS 20th September Jed Tournament 31st January Training PHS 26th September Odd Shaped Ball 7th February Training PHS 27th September Melrose Touranment (P4-7) 14th February Midterm 4th October Training Haylodge 21st February Training HL 11th October School holidays 28th February Training HL 18th October School holidays 6th March Duns Festival 25th October Hawick Tournament 13th March Training HL 1st November Training Haylodge 20th March Selkirk 8th November Dunfermline round robin 27th March Kelso 15th November Training High School 3rd April Easter 22nd November Training High School 10th April Langholm 29th November Training High School 17th April Easter 6th December Training High School 24th April Gala 13th December P1-3 Xmas Party 1st May MayDay 20th December Xmas break 8th May Training HL 27th December Xmas break 15th May Moffat

22nd May Final session HL 29th May PCS Festival TBC

Note: Tournaments, round robin fixtures and festivals are P3-P7 only and we may need to select players on a rotational basis. Training sessions will therefore be available on away tournament days at Haylodge. P1-2 training will take place at Haylodge when older age groups are away.

School holidays - training may take place across holiday weekends but this will be dependent on coaches availability. Age group coaches will communicate closer to the time

Contact UsAge Group Email PhonePrimary 1-3Neil Clark Neil.Clark74@btinternet.com 07764636275Ian Cornwall ianwillyc@yahoo.co.ukLee Harding leeharding21@gmail.comAdrian Service adrian.service@btinternet.comRoss Fitzgerald ross.fitzgerald@roslin.ed.ac.uk 07783 549877Mark Thomson markbthomson@hotmail.co.uk 07943811715Niall Burns niall@burnsandshaw.co.ukRob Claridge rpclaridge@gmail.comNick Smith-Weston nick@smith-weston.demon.co.ukScott Tait scott.taityboy@gmail.comSandy Smyllie sandysmellie@hotmail.comRichard Semple rsemps@gmail.com

Primary 4Brian Carlyle brian.carlyle@hotmail.comTony Farndon tony.farndon@mac.comJames Hamilton hamilton489@hotmail.com 07800847954Georgina Walker georginawalker@hotmail.com

Primary 5Neil Wolfenden wolfendenhome@gmail.com 07906567319Chris Cormack home@chriscormack.go-plus.netSimon Dougherty simon.d@loud-clear.co.ukDave Hollingsbee dave@mikestoanelighting.com

Primary 6-7Aegir Maciver aegir@relicarte.com 07834000893Chris Blackwood cblackwo@wlgore.com 07796681178David Caulton david.caulton@ed.ac.uk 07504958620Njord Maciver njordmaciver@hotmail.comIain Weir iain.weir@virgin.net

Communications Officer: Dom Finn dominic@dominicfinn.comYouth Development Officer: George Blair peeblesydo@tiscali.co.ukChild Protection Officer: John Montgomery john.montgomery4@btinternet.com

Coaches Charter

Place the well-being and safety ofthe athlete above the development of performance

Follow all guidelines laid down by the SRU and be registered on theSRU coaches’ database

Develop an appropriate working relationship with players based on mutualtrust and respect

Do not exert any undue influence to gain any personal benefit or reward

Encourage and guide players to accept responsibility for their own behav-iour and performance

Ensure activities are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and abili-ty of the individuals

Clarify at the outset, what is expected of players and parents, and whatplayers are entitled to expect their coach

Coopereate fully with other specialists (e.g. other coaches, physiotherapists,club officials etc) in the best interests of the player

Always advocate the positive aspects of Rugby and never condone rule vio-lations

Consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance

Be prepared to complete our club’s Children’s Coach RegistrationForm and follow the procedure laid down by the club