Rugbyathon Returns To Kick Start Aldi Play Rugby For 2022/23
The Aldi Play Rugby National Festival with Ireland internationals James Ryan and Beibhinn Parsons
Aldi Play Rugby is set to thrive across the provinces once more for the 2022/23 school year and will be given a real kick start with the return of the rugbyathon!
The rugbyathon concept was first introduced to schools in April 2021 as a simple idea – Get every child in a school active over the course of a day through fun non-contact rugby activities.
The Aldi Play Rugby 2022 Rugbyathon will now take place at the start of the school year as a way of kick-starting the season and whetting the appetite for the 2023 Aldi Play Rugby Provincial and National Festivals.
So, save the date – Wednesday September 21st 2022 is Rugbyathon Day!
Schools that may be new to offering rugby to their pupils can avail of a new detailed Rugbyathon guide with lots of session plans and activity breakdowns to help them map out a day of rugby in line with best practise.
Scoil Mhuire Na Trócaire in Ardee, Co. Louth ran Rugbyathon in 2021 under the guidance of teacher Elaine Sheridan.
“Not all kids get a chance outside of school to try these sports so to have these taster sessions is absolutely fantastic,” she told Irish Rugby.
“Not all children will have balls at home. They won’t have the resources or the equipment to work on these ball handling skills or ignite their passion for sport, so it is important that we do this in school.
I know a lot of the girls would have said before this started that they have no interest in this and now they have a substantial interest in it.
Aldi Play Rugby is a free initiative developed by the IRFU and supported by Aldi. The programme is a fun and safe way for primary school kids to get involved in playing rugby. Once signed up, a school can access everything they need to get up and running including sessions with provincial staff, free online coaching resources and even coaching equipment.
Since 2016, Aldi Play Rugby has provided hands on support to teachers and coaches in schools since and ensured a safe and fun outlet for physical activity to hundreds of thousands of pupils. Last year alone over 125,00 children took part in the programme.
It has also evolved and allowed schools to run their own initiatives with Rugbyathon being a prime example.
Schools looking to get involved in Aldi Play Rugby should register their interest via the link below and a rugby staff member in your province will get in touch.
Aldi Play Rugby Expression Of Interest Link – https://forms.office.com/r/zeaEh6TmtF