I coach under 7s at the minute at that age you really teach them the basics how to tackle, how to pass etc you can also bring abit of fun into by doing some games get them thinking, working as a team and also get them running around.

Thanks for the advice, appreciate you taking the time to let me know.

It's the games bit that I am struggling for inspiration for. I have stuck in the mud, raid the bases and cops and robbers (variation of tag along the lines of stuck in the mud). Finishing off with a game of bulldog, but i am concerned that the bulldog is a safety issue and could lead to injury or the weaker kids being put off.

Any input would be appreciated, I am scouring the RFU website and other union ones - its sad that the RFL provide so little relevent resources or at least have done up to now.

thanks

The RFU do have better coaching programmes for younger kids. It is a good idea that you have got some tags and I would forget about contact for the first few weeks and just work with tags on.

With tags, not only are evasion skills learnt a lot quicker, but the kids also get into some great natural body postions when pulling tags off that leads them onto proper tackling.

Also, at that age, it's all about repitition. Run the same session for 4 or 5 weeks doing exactly the same drills focussing on the basics. That builds up the necessary muscle memory in the kids. With the kids being so young, they won't realise they are doing exactly the same as last week but it builds up their skills really quickly.

Remember, practise doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. So if they get into the habit of doing something wrong, they will always do it wrong!

At that age you dont need to worry too much about coaching them rugby, More aim at keeping it fun and making sure you keep your team together. You can slowly introduce new workouts with a greater rugby theme as your team gets closer to being registration age. Kids love Bulldog and it makes for a decent inroduction to contact rugby, Basicaly any session that involves lots of running around will go down well, both with the parents and the kids. Use the cards the RFL gave you but dont be too stringent with them, change them drasticly if you need to but they are a decent guide for the younger age groups.

Every so often make them a Assault course using the clubs gear ( tackle bags etc ) and make them work in teams to complete it, it takes a while to set up but its worth it. Once you get down to working on their Core RL skills concentrate on the real basics first, Catching, Running, Putting the ball down etc, with simple play the ball session. Start with you passing the ball to your kids and them running onto it, Catching and scoring a try ( I take it you dont coach alone? ) if you have 3-4 coaches doing this it will keep the kids interested. Once they get that down add another level, Make the kids pass from the play the ball, Then introduce a second pass, always only introducing new things as they get the hang of the last session's, but only when they are ready.

Try to have 3-4 different sessions and mix them up so they are working on the same things and routines but there is enough change to keep them wanting to come back. If your kids look like they are starting to lose interest in a session change it, at that age once you lose them it can be a nightmare to get them back, a quick drink break and change of game can sort that out usualy.

Try to keep talk of winning and losing to a minimum ( in team games ), its stupid at that age and once the kids get it into their heads it can turn into the only thing that matters to them. Lastly get your team doing a little chant or a hands in team shout at the end, they love it and it usualy helps foster a little team spirit and helps them believe they belong to a team. So a quick hands in, 1-2-3 and everyone shouts "Lions" ( for my club ) and they go away a little happier.

A decent session for me would be..

A 10 minute game of Battleship ( this is where the players run around a rectangle track and avoid being sunk by the outer battleships ( sunk means hit by a beanbag or soft ball ) When sunk the player joins the Battleships in trying to sink the players that are left. ( Key: Player > / battleship x / Cones = )
x x
========
= > > > > =
= ==== =
= < < << =
========
x x
Follow that with a 10 minute session of retrieving a ball, By rolling it to them, or passing it to them. Keep it simple.

Then a 10 minute session of catching, running and scoring as described earlier.

A little game of stuck in the mud and then finish with a game of Bulldog. Bulldog is a decent introduction to the contact element of the sport, you can start with tag bulldog and then work up to grab and full tackle at a later date, when your team are ready for it.

Hope even a little of that helps you in some way.

Thanks to all, got plenty to be going on with from all the posters - will let you know how I go on!

Just one other point, can anybody advise when they will be likely to be ready to play? With the interim season happening at the moment until (November?) and then the first summer season starting in the spring I understand that these kids will start in spring 2013 (they are all age 5 at 1st of September this year so year 1 at school) - can anybody confirm this as the club seem a little unsure.

thanks

They can play as soon as they turn 6.