Kids rugby - parents perspective?

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MileHighKiwi

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#168543 17-Mar-2015 18:06

I'm looking to conduct some market research on Geekzone members for a project I'm working on.

I'd like to hear from parents of kids that play rugby. I'm also interested in hearing from parents of kids that are trying to choose a sport to play. I'd like to know what your experiences are with rugby; positive and negative. Also..

how long have your kids played?
How did they/didn't they transition from primary to intermediate to college teams?
If they stopped playing, why?
Do they play with their school team or a rugby club?
Are local clubs visible to you? How do they advertise etc? How do you view the local clubs?
Do you think the game is safe?
What could be done to make the sport more attractive to you and your children?

Any feedback would be much appreciated! Happy just to hear your thoughts in general.

Cheers!

Handsomedan

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#1261405 18-Mar-2015 08:50

I have two boys (8 & 10) who play Ripper Rugby through school. They both really enjoy it. They've played for a couple of years.

Neither of them play "proper" rugby - being a football house, it was more-or-less preordained that they'd play football.

I have friends whose kids play rugby and have watched a few games with them.
I have friends whose kids stopped playing rugby because it was just "too hard", others that have stopped because they got hurt just once too often.

Our local rugby clubs are fairly visible, advertise well through the community and appear to have fairly good support - certainly the parent support is quite astonishing.

I'm not sure I'd want my kids to play full contact rugby - its a sport that I don't fully understand (from a rules and regs perspective) and i think that if you're smaller (as our family is) you're at a distinct disadvantage.
I've also seen more physical violence on the rugby pitch at school games than I have ever seen in any other sport, except Rugby League.

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wasabi2k

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#1261424 18-Mar-2015 09:43

Stepson (16)

how long have your kids played?
4th year playing Rugby

How did they/didn't they transition from primary to intermediate to college teams?
Didn't play Rugby in Pri/Intermediate, he played league. Started Rugby in High School as schools cater to it. League does not feature.

If they stopped playing, why?
Nearly dropped it this year - 2nd 15 resources at school were limited - coach was pretty average and team was overall not that great. Losing isn't fun.

Do they play with their school team or a rugby club?
School

Are local clubs visible to you? How do they advertise etc? How do you view the local clubs?
Yes, Massey RFC is about 250m from our house. They have a good reputation.

Do you think the game is safe?
No. It has caused multiple injuries (knee, chest, shoulder) in 3 years - and that is playing 2nd 15, so you haven't got the really big units. My stepson is not small or light either. Most injuries are caused by a lack of discipline or just thuggery. Parents/Coaches are usually on the sideline cheering this type of behaviour.

What could be done to make the sport more attractive to you and your children?
My stepson is playing first 15 this season, so much better resources with better support staff which should make a difference. Beyond that you aren't going to improve player behaviour when they are encouraged to injure each other.

networkn

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#1261480 18-Mar-2015 10:26

Handsomedan: I have two boys (8 & 10) who play Ripper Rugby through school. They both really enjoy it. They've played for a couple of years.

Neither of them play "proper" rugby - being a football house, it was more-or-less preordained that they'd play football.

I have friends whose kids play rugby and have watched a few games with them.
I have friends whose kids stopped playing rugby because it was just "too hard", others that have stopped because they got hurt just once too often.

Our local rugby clubs are fairly visible, advertise well through the community and appear to have fairly good support - certainly the parent support is quite astonishing.

I'm not sure I'd want my kids to play full contact rugby - its a sport that I don't fully understand (from a rules and regs perspective) and i think that if you're smaller (as our family is) you're at a distinct disadvantage.
I've also seen more physical violence on the rugby pitch at school games than I have ever seen in any other sport, except Rugby League.

Reminds me of a story my mother reminded me of, which I recall quite well, being a TINY skinny little kid at Springdale school and playing full contact rugby at about 6 years old against the Mangakino team, and all my team mates basically clearing out of the way whenever Mangakino's players got the ball because they were so huge, but me being new to rugby at the time, not understanding and tackling these kids, and them dragging me 50+ meters 4 or 5 times, to score, the whole time me yelling for my team mates to assist. :) My mother suggested I was the only kid who tackled an opposition player in the whole game. :)

If I recall correctly the score was something like 66-3 or 66-5 that day.