IPSWICH YM RUFC
YOUTH TRANSITION TO SENIOR RUGBY
TRANSITION
At Ipswich YM we aim to provide a rugby pathway for all youth players to continue into the adult game. This pathway will allow players of all abilities to continue into senior rugby in a safe and managed way.
Ipswich YM RUFC will provide Youth Rugby from ages U6 to U17 with the U18 age group becoming part of the club senior programme.
This transition will allow many U18 players to experience senior rugby before many move on to University or other types of education that could move them away from the area. It is hoped that this will forge strong links to the club and see a good return of players on completion of their education.
One of the biggest areas where players are lost is the switch from Youth to Senior rugby, it is hoped that this pathway with give players a senior identity within rugby and keep them in the game for many years to come. If a player has had no contact with senior rugby before they go off to University etc many are lost from the game altogether. For this reason many clubs including Ipswich YM RUFC are seeing the increased importance of the U18s becoming an integral part of the senior set up within the club.
By including the U18s in the club senior programme we aim to build a strong foundation for the club to see the rewards of having a strong Youth and Junior section. We aim to show all players/parents that Ipswich YM RUFC is a club looking to retain all players of all standards to progress into senior rugby.
Age groups U14s to U17s will have increasing contact with the senior coaching set up as they progress through the age groups so they are ready to make the transition when needed in the best possible way.
Any player from the u17s when reaching his 17th Birthday may play senior rugby with the correct consent obtained from parent and RFU playing adult rugby protocols carried out.
Playing Senior Rugby at Ipswich YM RUFC
When a player reaches U18 he will be deemed a senior player and will become part of the senior set up. All training and matches will be under control of the club head coach and his senior team.
Each player will be assessed under the RFU playing adult rugby protocols and the RFU playing adult rugby form will be completed by Player, Parent and coach.
Players will be graded to the standard of Senior rugby they will be able to play. At Ipswich YM RUFC this can be 1st XV, Hawks or 3rd XV.
Playing standard of all players will be continually reviewed to allow players to progress through the sides.
No player will be asked to play in matches above the standard in which they have been graded to play in.
If any player is deemed unready for senior rugby we will look at the options for that player on a case by case basis.
U18 Fixtures
Whilst all U18 players will be deemed Senior players Ipswich YM RUFC will still compete in U18 fixtures when possible. For the 2014/15 season these fixtures will consist of Friendly matches before Christmas on blank senior weekends and EC U18s Cup matches after Christmas. This will give a minimum of 10 fixtures. (This will change from season to season depending on Senior fixtures)
These fixtures will allow all players to stay actively involved within the club and still play matches even if Senior rugby is not taken up for any reason by any players. These fixtures will also allow the strong bond build up by these players over the years to continue.
U18/U17 Fixtures
Ipswich YM RUFC will not have a mixed U17 /U18 side and the U17s will play as their own age group. If there is sufficient numbers of extra U17s(due to Ipswich YM having very large age groups)there will be the flexibility for these players to join any U18s who choose not to play or cannot play senior rugby in playing friendly fixtures as a mixed age group. At no time will an U17 player have his place taken by an U18 player.
Many clubs do play mixed U17/U18 teams but this is mainly due to the fact that they do not have enough players in each age group to run separate teams. This is not the case at Ipswich YM RUFC but will continue to be monitored each season. If team numbers do then change we can re evaluate the transition to best suit the clubs and player needs.
Conclusion
In conclusion it is hoped that this transition pathway to senior rugby will not only benefit Ipswich YM RUFC but the game of rugby as a whole. Not only will Ipswich YM see the benefits of all standards of players becoming senior players within the club but will lay a solid foundation for players of all abilities to play senior rugby within other clubs that their education/work etc may take them too.