Teachers Coaching Rugby in Regional Schools: Challenges, Needs and Strategies that Work

Teachers Coaching Rugby in Regional Schools: Challenges, Needs
and Strategies that Work

Rugby union has long been the dominant winter sport in the larger and wealthier private schools in Queensland’s south-east corner. Outside of this area, however, the sport has generally struggled to gain an enduring foothold in the state's regional and public schools.

The presenter has coached rugby and taught in various schools throughout regional Queensland over the past 25 years. In 2017, he approached several experienced regionally-based school rugby teacher-coaches to explicate their experiences coaching and promoting the sport in regional Queensland schools. It is expected that their thoughts and opinions on the challenges they faced in promoting the sport in their respective schools then will still resonate with other teachers and coaches of other sports from similar geographical areas. This information was presented to rugby’s national body in 2017. The presenter reached out to the participants six years later to see what aspects, if any, had changed in terms of the support they felt would be helpful from their governing bodies. As well, this session will provide strategies and ideas these teacher-coaches have found successful in attracting and retaining players as well as promoting the sport in their regional contexts.