County Youth Update
Over the past few weeks, our County youth coaching team and manager have been out and about watching club, school matches and training sessions. This is ahead of the start of the Cambridgeshire Under 18's County programme which starts on Monday 16th October at Ely Rugby Club.
All clubs and Sixth Forms/schools have been contacted for their nominations for their upper Colts and 42 players have accepted their invite to attend the trial on the 16th Oct. We have players attending from 16 Cambridgeshire colleges and from 5 clubs( 3 other clubs have been in contact but only have lower Colts currently in their squad - we look forward to getting them involved for the Under 17's programme which will run April 2024)
It has been enjoyable meeting new coaches for some Colts sections within Cambridgeshire and reassuring that the players are keen to attend the Cambridgeshire trial. If you would like us to visit your Clubs/school matches, then please get in touch. We will continue to come along and watch at club/school fixtures during the next few weeks and are easily identified with blue county tops or black county jackets.
Chris Clayton-Smith ( Shelford RFC) will be the lead coach for the Under 18's programme alongside his other commitments as Director of Mini and Youth at Shelford Rugby Club, Level 3 coach,Head of Cricket at St.Faiths School and as a DPP coach for Northampton Saints. With the coaching Daniel White (Shelford RFC), Oz Christie ( Shelford RFC) and Paul Smith (Shelford RFC) who all coached in the Under 17's programme earlier in the year. Sam Miller (Cambridge RFC) is taking a step back for this programme due to work and Cambridge Rugby club commitments but we hope to see him, if time allows. We do welcome two new coaches - Michael Batty - who is Head of Rugby at Kings Ely and will be an excellent addition to the coaching squad and James Hodge (Cambridge RFC), who has been involved with coaching the youth age groups at Cambridge and a wealth of rugby experience.
If you think we have missed your club or school, or are interested in more details regarding the programme, then please feel free to contact me. Claire White - Youth Manager - Cambridgeshire RFC.- Shelfordmum@gmail.com