Report from Old Dalian Denver Donian a reporter from the Bugle
DALE COLLEGE was privileged to be at the centre of a program set to improve the face of school rugby in the area when they hosted the Sport Focus Capacity Building Programme – a school rugby coaching workshop facilitated by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the Border Rugby Union (BRU).
Among the high profile South African rugby personnel present at the workshop during the various sessions over five days were SARU Boksmart Facilitator, Akhona Mgijima, Border Rugby Union referee, Sandile Mahende, Springbok Ladies captain and Mandisa Williams. The coaching offered at the workshop is fully accredited by the International Rugby Board (IRB).
The workshop was held over a period of five days at the Malcom Andrew Sports Centre (MASC). 55 school rugby coaches, from all over the Eastern Cape attended the workshop.
The coaching areas covered by the course included Boksmart, IRB Level One Coaching, IRB Level Two Coaching, Sevens Rugby Level One as well as the Rugby Symposium Project.
Warren Loubser, from SARU said that the coaching program is a basic fundamental in order to be an accredited rugby coach, from school level to international level.
“One of the areas covered in the coarse is Boksmart, which is a program enforced by SARU,” said Loubser.
“Boksmart focuses on safety of rugby players, dealing with injuries and condition of the field. Boksmart on it’s on own does not make you a rugby coach with it and neither without it,” he added.
Dale College has been chosen by the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) to be Sport Focus school in the King William’s Town region. There 16 schools from around King William’s Town who will benefit from this program.
Brian Hendrickse from DSRAC said for now this is a pilot program, but they are positive that it will be successful.
“We are using Dale College and Dale Junior to drive the initiative,” he said.
“A pool of talented players will be selected from the 16 schools. Dale College will run a series of training sessions, from which the top players will be offered bursaries to go to Dale.”
Current Dale 1st XV rugby coach, Steve Turner said the school will be central in mentoring surrounding schools in sports administration and talent nurturing.
“Dale has been tasked with the responsibility of assisting schools update their sports programs and curricular,” said Turner.
“Included in this will be proper planning of practice schedules, fixtures and interhouse competitions. The Department of Sport has funded the program with R800 000, of which, R250 000 has been set aside for bursaries,” explained Turner.
Presenting on Boksmart, Akhona Mgijima explained the importance of undergoing these courses.
“Everyone who is serious about being a professional rugby official, you have to go through these programs. Boksmart is a 3 hour course that enables an individual accreditation as a coach or referee. Level one coaching is an 8 hour coarse followed by a 12 weeks coaching or officiating program that has to be completed within the same year. Level Two is an IRB qualification to coach provincial rugby and it is a prerequisite for Level Three, which grants you qualification to coach international rugby,” said Mgijima.
On the final two days of the workshop, Western Province and Stormers defense coach, Jacques Niebenier and SARU’s Jaco Loubser and Morne Nortier did the Rugby Symposium Project run down.
The pool of players who stand a chance to earn a sports bursary to come to Dale College and Dale Junior will be rolled out in January 2014.
Fantastic news
@Queenian: I hope I can gather some troops and have a road trip to Grahamstown for the Graeme Rugby Day. Cant make the Grey Festival, though I’d love to.
@Playa: You going to be at the Graeme day or Grey Festival.
Were is Lutz he has been very quite of late.
@Gungets Tuft: YOU HAVE TAKEN THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH
@Gungets Tuft: From evidence, their reasons for leaving are the former….with the promise of the latter. A lot of the boys are fee paying boys who come from ‘currently’ disadvantaged homes.The financial part of the decision therefore is a no brainer, and the promise of CW rugby and a contract thereafter makes the deal all the more sweeter. Take the recent Somila Jho debacle for instance.
This is a commitment…one can only hope that it is one that sticks. More importantly, I hope it is the beginning of a new era or EC schoolboy rugby and that more schools also benefit in the same manner.It could be the only chance EC (especially Border) schools can manage to retain their best talents.
@beet: Ya, agree, but how do you enforce it, or prove it. I hate bringing it up, but do you think Siyabonga Toms mother didn’t know he was overage. She did, but still she revelled in the reflected glory. So, someone like her is convinced to move her boy (doesn’t have to be a quota, just a damn good player), and some sort of “arrangement” is made.
I am starting to think that a draft system is the only way out, no province will behave badly because in the end they won’t profit. I don’t know the draft system well, I might be wrong.
@Gungets Tuft: I think the solution lies somewhere between re-evaluating the goals of the quota system and tailor making it to suit each provinces realistic targets. Then ensure that each province includes only players genuinely developed since Gr.8 in their provincial representative teams.
AND MAKE SCHOOL RUGBY AN OFFICIAL AMATEUR SPORT so that RUs giving boys money can be fined and those accepting non-compliant financial rewards can be banned.
@Tjoppa: Ja, I hear you, but I don’t understand why there is so much acquisition of talent at U14 level, referring to the Eastern Cape now. Unions are unlikely to be taking them so young, the schools have no quota requirement (or am I wrong??). It’s the unions that are causing k#k moving boys at 3rd term in Grade 11, and then within the “rules” at grade 10.
The Saru ruling that home unions have the right of first refusal hasn’t worked, the Kings couldn’t hang on to their S15 spot, it’s weakened their holding plan.
I wish I knew the solution but I don’t think it’s quite as simple as quotas. The EC boys hold their own, being black is a quota convenience, a lot of them would be sought after anyway.
I hate the “horse trading” but unless everyone stops it, everyone has to do it to stay competitive. The moral ground in this case is low ground … :-(
@Gungets Tuft: Black rugby players will be in demand until quotas is stopped. Finish and klaar. And with the likes of a Werner/Xander promising the moon to the boys the R 250 000 will not help a bit. This issue is a racial one with the Unions and their agents praying on people who’s personal/financial circumstances is seriously in need of help.
@Playa: I hope so, but fear not. Are the boys genuinely leaving just for a school bursary, or for some CW exposure and then a chance of a contract after school.
I wish them all the best, Dale are one of the schools I consider most like College, so it will be nice to see them prosper. So, I hope the EC government realise this is a commitment, not a once off gift. It’s these (what – 5?? .. boys), and then the 5 others in each grade as the scheme expands. R1.25 million a year by year 5.
So good to hear. All the best Dale College !
@Queenian: Indeed!
Let’s see if this will help stop the exodus of boys for purely rugby reasons
About time something good happened to Dale.
Well done.