The last two weeks have seen the Rugby Victoria Development Team deliver Girls CAN Tackle sessions at Wyndham, Melton and Endeavour Hills Rugby Clubs.
The Girls CAN Tackle program focuses on not only tackle technique but contact contests. Girls are given opportunities to compete in different contact situations, designed to build confidence and enjoyment in contact. Our team loved seeing all the smiles on the girls faces during the contact sessions, their confidence increasing with every drill and their skills going from strength to strength.
Homegrown Wallaroo Georgia Cormick, Super W star Nawel Remini and our rising stars from the Melbourne Uni AONs 7s team Kelera Ratu, Kirsty Matapa, Allyssa Lolesio Pua and Jade Te Aute have all attended sessions with a passion for inspiring the younger generation. They have left the sessions feeling inspired themselves by the attitude and commitment shown by all the girls participating.
Wallaroo star Georgia Cormick was glowing in her praise for the program.
“I absolutely loved being at the Girls CAN Tackle session. To see young girls learning the safe tackle technique, while having fun and growing in confidence throughout the session, was so rewarding. I wish they were around when I was a young girl.”
Our team has created a hub for coaches to have access to our programs, videos, skills and drills. In the hub, we have current Rebels Super W Head Coach and Fiji Women’s Rugby Assistant Coach Alana Thomas and Current Wallaroos Attack Coach, and founder of Rugby Bricks, Peter Breen. Both coaches bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and an enormous passion to grow and develop the girl’s game.
Rugby Victoria Game Development Manager Sammi Homewood expressed her passion for the program.
“The program supports the player as a whole, by upskilling and supporting the coaches and providing confidence and skill acquisition for the player themselves.
“It helps provide the missing piece in transitioning young girls safely from touch to tackle.”
In the coming weeks we will be in contact with our coaches across our Youth Girls grade to continue the momentum in solidifying the pathway for girl’s rugby across Victoria. We hope that it will be the beginning of a new era as we work towards our Youth Girls tackle competitions. In conjunction with our programs at clubs, we will also be running Girls CAN Tackle clinics throughout the year.
Keep an eye out for clinics coming soon!
Words by Rugby Victoria Development Officer (West) Meretiana Robinson
