Sport
19 July, 2020
Junior clinic for rising stars
JUNIOR Rugby League players got a chance to brush up on their skills and get rid of some COVID-19 cobwebs ahead of their 2020 season opening after a recent clinic held in Atherton.
JUNIOR Rugby League players got a chance to brush up on their skills and get rid of some COVID-19 cobwebs ahead of their 2020 season opening after a recent clinic held in Atherton.
The clinic was run last Thursday, July 9 at Atherton Junior Rugby League grounds and saw junior players from all across the Tablelands attending and developing their skills.
20 eager junior rugby league players attended the clinic with them all playing against each other in non-contact games and drills.
National Rugby League Development Officer Alby Anderson was surprised by the turn- out considering the clinic was only advertised for a week.
“20 was a good number of kids to get considering we have only just started back at work and only advertised the clinic for a week,” he said.
“With kids this age it’s not about technical drills it’s more about getting them in a game situation and letting them work things out for themselves.
“We help them along with little hints here and there and asking them questions, it’s about giving kids ownership over their own footy games.”
Catch and pass drills and non-contact games were just some of the activities that kids experienced along with other lessons about looking for space, using speed and sidestepping.
The kids who went along to the clinic got massive amounts of playing time as Alby said “about 90 percent of the time they’re playing a game.”
“They’re learning by doing,” he said.
“The games that we are using have a lot to do with physical literacy and it helps the kids teach the kids how to move properly.
“We asked the kids what was the thing they missed most and they all yelled out footy.”
