Hi. I'm helping to coach a U15 squad.
How about this as a warm up. 15-20 min max.
Thoughts to my approach.
I don't like the idea of the traditional 'Run around the pitch with sprint sections' as warmup. Maybe the U15's can handle it - I'm old - I can't. So I want to start slower and build it up. And also to rugby-fy as much as we can include sneaky skills. Give the player as much time interacting the ball as possible.
Upper Body
A couple of min of passing/catching drills/piggy in the middle. Good passes down the line at jogging pace.
Ripping drill/handoff drill as a warmup.
Lower body.
Short ground grubbers to halfway and back. Squat down to pick up each time. Or Hips over ball/jackal pickups.
Foot work with cones.
Up the intensity.
Lunges, bounds, bear crawls, chest to ground, short sprints, etc. Ball in hand if possible.
Finally Mobility / Stretch off.
Yes? No? Improvements please. Would you try to incorporate as many skills into the warmup? or better to simple and cardio focused?
Ta
Used to play hawick ball. But here's some others as well.
https://blog.rugbystore.co.uk/improve-your-skills-with-rugby-passing-drills/
Looks decent enough, though I would suggest getting the stretching done prior to building intensity (but I'm not sure u15s need much stretching).
It's been a long time since I played under 15s... but I would imagine the focus needs to be more on getting hands on the ball as much as possible and getting the body ready for contact rather than building intensity gradually like you would with adults.
Add in some touch. We do short games of touch when moving between drills, odds v evens full width, try line to 22. Encourage them to move the ball and use the width so everyone gets a touch.
You'll also need to factor in some run throughs of any moves they have.
Keep it short and focussed. Use 2 on 1 and 3 on 2 drills that they will know from training, don't try to bring in anything you'll need to explain.
Wouldn't worry too much about stretches they'll have been running about and kicking the ball before you start enough to be warmed up.
Used to coach a successful series of U16 teams.
I'm with U16 lads and U15 girls, the joys of both kids playing. I'd start to think about how to get the team themselves leading some of this if you can. But have you looked at the RFU Activate materials? I see a lot of senior teams using this when watching them prior to refereeing the game. It's sports science based and adaptable for all ages, lots of resources on the RFU website. Nothing like the sprints etc you describe, aim is injury prevention, flexibility etc. As others have said, then get them doing a touch game before more specific training activities.
Much thanks - a lot of stuff I will take on board here. I'm trying to go from warmup and move it into strength and condition all within a 20min period.
Will move the stretching to before the intensity stuff. Its only a 3 min stretch off to make sure the main parts of the body are moved. U15 probably don't need it but its a good habit I think.
Thee issue I have with touch too early in the warm up is they can't help sprinting -its too fun. Also the less skilled players always get pushed out to the wing and enviably stand around not moving. So I'll slot it between the stretch and intensity stuff. Then as you say - have a short game between stations during main training. I like that a lot.
"don’t try to bring in anything you’ll need to explain"
I have heard this before and it seams right at our level. On the flip side, a MMA coach at my gym says to make the warmup more complex - multiple movements to get the brain warmed up as well. But I'm not sure I have the coaching skills to make that happen without too much explaining/standing around. U15's don't have a long attention span.
"I’d start to think about how to get the team themselves leading some of this if you can"
So get get a player to lead this every week yeah?
A lap of the pitch, ten press ups then back inside for a shit, surely?
Passing skills link - good one. Will learn that Hawick game.
A lap of the pitch, ten press ups then back inside for a shit, surely?
The could also chug a pint and we could call it a triathlon.
In for a penny….😀
I know nothing about rugby, but isn't stretching before exercise now seen as unnecessary and potentially harmful? It certainly is in the running circles I work in.
American Football coach here - I used to use the run round the pitch perimeter as only a small part of the overall warm up and have 'stations' set up around the field - some for footwork drills; some for passing/catching; another for push-ups or heavy ball work etc. We'd do this 3 times but also add in whistle elements - so for example, when the whistle blows if you are running you have have to max sprint; reverse the route; run backwards etc.
I used to help out with my eldest's jnr rugby occasionally, and as the kids were bored with their usual warm-up, did this for them - and the coach was not impressed at the lack of 'rugby' in it...they the spent the next hour doing pure rugby drills so I'm not 100% sure what the issue was 🤔
I've coached Rugby, Gaelic football and currently soccer and the Activate program has been the go to for all of them. It was developed in the States and has proven to decrease the incidence of injury greatly and each sport has tailored for their needs. It's a series of drills and the team can learn one each so you're just calling names and they lead the team in their drill https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/coaching/activate
We used to jog around the pitch passing the ball backwards to the rear, then the hindmost player had to sprint (I use the term loosely!) to the front and start again. Then some dynamic stretching, and into passing drills etc.
Replying to the question about getting each lad to lead an exercise or do each week's session, we've tried the former and now the captain leads their warm-up. We just supervise and then get them into forwards/ backs for specific pre game work. My warm-up for a game is usually running, slowly initially, working up to speed work to replicate game activity, mainly mobilty based with very little stretching - only tend to stretch calf muscles as they tend to tighten.
