Railway Union Launch Age Grade Girls Programme
Railway Union’s Director of Women’s Rugby, Shirley Corcoran, last week launched an underage rugby programme for girls at the club.
“In keeping with our goals of promoting women in sport, and rugby in particular, we are delighted to announce an underage rugby programme for girls,” said Corcoran. “The initial focus of our underage programme will be primarily on girls in secondary school between 13 and 17. We will work closely with the schools in our locality and with our community to provide these opportunities.”
“Ultimately, in line with our club values, we want to give young girls the opportunity to learn and develop as people through rugby and to make the life-long friendships that rugby allows.”
Corcoran said that, in addition, there were huge opportunities in rugby for young girls in Ireland.
We aim to help Leinster and Irish rugby by developing young girls to realise their potential, be it a strong club player, an international or a future Olympian,” said Corcoran.
Railway Union’s Girls Rugby Programme will initially focus on under 15s and under 18s girl’s rugby, in line with Leinster’s new structures in this area.
Railway Union’s Director of Rugby John Cronin said the club were fully behind this initiative.
“We believe the establishment of an underage programme and coaching will help develop the core skills and ability in girls to be able to achieve in rugby,” said Cronin, “Our Women’s Rugby Management team, led by Shirley, have an ambitious plan in place to develop a strong women’s section of the club and a viable underage structure is a core part of that.”
Cronin said this initiative was part of the club’s wider strategy to be a ‘community-based rugby club’. “We are working closely with our community leaders, the Leinster Branch and the Dublin City Council to bring underage rugby to our community, in particular in Sandymount, Ringsend and Irishtown. The underage programme for girls is ‘first step’ in that direction and we would like to begin running underage rugby for boys in the area too, starting in 2013.”
Anybody interested in playing women’s rugby, or girls or parents interested in playing or getting involved in supporting girl’s underage rugby at Railway, should email womensrugby@railwayunionrfc.com or contact Shirley (086 604 9416) or Melissa (086 348 9321) directly.