JERSEY REDS Minis and Juniors, in collaboration with the Jersey Touch Association, launched a new initiative this week to attract new talent and aid existing skill development.
The Mixed Youth Summer Touch League, which is open to girls and boys in school years 7-10, began on Wednesday with the first of four training sessions at Le Rocquier. Balanced, mixed-gender squads will then be selected before league fixtures begin.
The scheme is designed to help current and new players improve their abilities, stay fit and have fun during the summer.
‘Touch rugby is a great non-contact sport for kids to have fun with new and existing friends, while developing a whole range of skills,’ said joint organiser Tony Taylor. ‘Touch enables us to mix girls and boys from a wide range of ages together into teams, as there is no tackling or contact. It’s just a fun, fast moving game.
‘We’ve started this initiative to provide a new avenue for children to be physically active and outdoors during the summer, which is so important for everyone, but especially as kids get back to normal life post Covid. It has been made possible with support from the Government of Jersey’s Covid Recovery Programme and ConnectMe.’
Jersey Reds M&J chair, Michelle Clark, added: ‘JTA and M&J volunteer coaches will be running the sessions, but we still need more adult volunteers to help with the organisation, so we’d love to hear from parents who’d like to help out.
‘We already have over 70 M&J members from our under-11 to U15s squads sign up, but we know that there are lots of kids who play rugby and other sports, such as netball, at school, but aren’t able to play rugby during the winter. We’d like as many as possible to come along during the summer to give Touch a go.’
