Introduction: BRITA is the headline sponsor of the Wasps Community Foundation. Together they aim to educate and inspire children through the power of sport. The Wasps Community Foundation runs coachclasses throughout school holidays, where children can learn the key skills of rugby in a fun environment and the child will be given a BRITA Fill&Go bottle with an exclusive Wasps sleeve.
We also got to meet BRITA and Wasps new mascot, Hydro, which Hydro attend matches and coachclasses to make sure every player and fan is staying hydrated with filtered water.
Hydro, the new mascot
Experience: We headed down to Bicester rugby club last week to join in on the Wasps coachclass two day session. Lewis my 11 year old son, and Taylor my 11 year old niece - both are best buddies.
There were approximately 80 children of varying ages, from 6 up to 14 years old and each child was put in a group and a coach within their age range. What is good about coachclass is you don't need to be able to play to any particular standard and even if you have never played rugby before the coaches will help you to pick up the skills.
Lewis and Taylor with their coach for the two days
Day oneThere were about 10 kids in their groups, all boys accept Taylor, though her team mates treated her as an equal player and once she built her confidence (with a lot of encouragement from their coach) she got involved with tackles etc. and was part of the team. So much so Taylor won 'coaches player of the day'. Lewis also done really well, getting involved with everything, and learning lots along the way.
During lunch hour all the kids went to the rugby club hall and watched a movie, chatted and just relaxed, then the two mascots made an appearance, and competed in an assault course- Hydro and the Wasp - the Wasp won. Back to training and learning a few more skills their group then played a match against the next age group.
Both Lewis and Taylor at the end of the day were exhausted, but excited - looking forward to day 2 on the coachclass. All the way to the hotel they chatted about much fun they had.
Day two Lots more training again, with different skills being taught and the coach brought the kids some gum guards, as they trained with the contact pads. During beak time, they again watched a bit of a movie, and then the assault course - this time it was done with each of the kids, in which they were timed - the winner who got round the fastest won a signed London Wasps rugby top.
During the afternoon a London Wasp's player, Ed Jackson made an appearance, and he took his time going around each group talking to the children and answering their questions. There were many excited children asking him lots of questions and asking him to sign anything and everything they could. Lewis and Taylor got him to sign their BRITA Fill&Go bottles.
Lewis and Taylor with Ed Jackson - Back row player for London Wasps.
At the end of each day everyone convened in the rugby club where the coaches then gave a prize/award to recognize most improved player, best team player, coach player etc.. An array of prizes were given from sweat-arm bands, to signed rugby tops. Lewis won most improved player of the coachclass and he won a complimentary day at a coachclass event and two tickets to a Wasps home European Rugby Champions Cup - we had one very happy boy.
Conclusion: Both Lewis and Taylor had a fantastic time, they were buzzing after each session full of great things to say about the day. As soon as we got back home he asked his Dad to sign him up to our local rugby club and he is now ready to join the training in mid-September.
What was so good about the coachclass? It was well organised, well structured, and fun! They learnt lots of different skills throughout both days, and this was down to the great coach they had; he was great with the kids, considering many of the other kids had much more experience playing rugby, where both Lewis and Taylor had none. Their coach was engaging with all the kids, they all listened to him, respected him and wanted to please him; little things how he would encouraged them to each learn each other's names and how they would often have team talks - he connected them positively as a team. You couldn't have asked for a better coach, he made the whole experience a fantastic one for them, one that they will remember for years to come.
To book your child's place on a Wasps coachclass visit www.bitly.com/BRITAWasps or call 01494 531 122 and quote BRITA14 for 10% off all one, two and three day sessions.
