Squamish Youth Rugby has been around for a couple of years, but it is trying to get more kids out onto the pitch.
On Sunday morning, the group held its first-ever rugby jamboree on the fields at Don Ross Middle School.
With the local sides still small, the group invited teams from outside the community to help increase the visibility of the sport.
The visiting teams were Capilano from North Vancouver, the Rowers, Meralomas and Bayside from Vancouver and Chuckanut from Bellingham, Wash.
The jamboree started with the young players, spread across eight different mini-fields, warming up with runs and lunges or practising drills such as kicking or hand-offs.
Most of the morning was spent with the teams playing short matches as coaches yelled out instructions like 鈥済o to ground鈥� and worked on fundamentals with the young players.
Some teams brought small contingents and played seven-a-side, while others fielded larger teams. In all, about 150 children took part in the jamboree.
Organizer Sean Carter of 麻豆社国产Youth Rugby was pleased with the turnout as well as the efforts of volunteers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going so smoothly,鈥� he said during the jamboree. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe it.鈥�
Like many sports, rugby is broken down into age groupings. For the jamboree, the players were divided into U7 for children in Kindergarten and Grade 1, U9 for Grades 2 and 3, U10 for Grade 4 and U12 for Grades 5 and 6.聽
As part of BC Rugby guidelines, there is emphasis on developing particular skills at each level. The U7s focus on running with the ball, while the U9s work on basic ball-handling skills.聽
Tackling is introduced to the U10s, while the U12s work on how to play in scrums. The younger players, meanwhile, usually play touch or use flags.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very developmental,鈥� Carter said.
Rugby has been part of the sports scene in 麻豆社国产with the Axemen men鈥檚 team as well as in high school. The community has even produced professional players such as Jamie Cudmore, who has spent years playing in France.
Carter concedes that it can be tough to attract young kids to the sports when there are other options such as soccer and hockey, which might be more familiar. Still, he has been able to sign up youth at events to promote 麻豆社国产Youth Rugby, which is now affiliated with the 麻豆社国产Axemen.
At present, more than 20 children are taking part in youth rugby from Grades 2, 4 and 6. They practise on Wednesdays and on Sundays when they do not have to head to Vancouver for games.
The season runs from September to November, takes a break, then picks up from March through May. Even with the year winding down, Carter said if there are any young players interested in trying out the sport, 麻豆社国产Youth Rugby can accommodate them.
鈥淚f the players are really keen, we鈥檒l still take players,鈥� he said.
As Carter puts it, players do not have to be especially large, fast or tall.
鈥淭hey can be any size,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a position for anybody on the rugby field.鈥�
With the attention the recent World Cup attracted last fall as well as events like the popular rugby sevens tournament held in Vancouver earlier this year, Carter is hopeful that more kids will give the sport a try.聽
For more information, see www.squamishyouthrugby.com.聽
