The Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s Junior Indoor Touch Festivals have been providing some close season rugby over the winter period with festivals for age groups 7-11 taking place at Leeds Sports Centre as part of the Rugby League Development plan sponsored by Mears and Sky Try which aims to provide children across the city with more opportunities to play Rugby League.
The Indoor Touch Festivals, now in their fifth year of running at Leeds Sports Centre, have been taking place since the 14th November with ambassador clubs from all age groups from under 7s to under 11s given the chance take part in two tournaments before and after the Christmas Break.
Playing in a Touch Rugby format, the small sided games see clubs enter up to three teams for each festival ensuring that every player from the club gets a chance to play some competitive rugby at the events.
The format of 5 a side touch rugby is also designed to run alongside the 7 a side format that the community clubs play within the local leagues and works on improving elements of the young players games such as; speed, agility, teamwork, communication and technique.
Head Coach at Garforth Tigers and Leeds Rhinos Foundation Club Ambassador Chris Shaw commented on some of the benefits of the festivals:
"These days are fantastic, the kids get a lot from them and I don't think they even realise in some respects the skills they are learning in terms of the evading, the ability to pass and the movement skills and above all they have a lot of fun so I would be a massive advocate of these for anyone who wants to have a go.
"Keep the kids together during the close season, work on there core skills and really and really make a positive step into next season."
As part of the day the players have been able to see the Leeds Rhinos treble winning trophies for a chance to take team pictures as well as, meeting some of the Leeds Rhinos first team squad.
Speaking at the under 7s Festival on the 12th December, Rhinos star Stevie Ward said:
"Through the winter the problem I had when I was a young lad is that everything switches off and its tough to get out on the pitches but coming somewhere like this I used to love it and its a good way to get better as a player but also to get together with your team mates and have a good time really."
Community Clubs Development Officer for the Leeds Rhinos Foundation Sam Horner who is in charge of the organisation of the Indoor Touch programme added:
"We've had great support from Mears, who are superb supporters of the Foundation and enable to do all this, and of course Sky Try and the Sky Try programme that we are following now which is what today is about in particular with the Primary Rugby League model for the youngest age groups.
"More important than anything is the development of the kids and you can see that as they play from the start of the programme right through to the end, the development of their skills is unbelievable and the support of Mears and Sky Try helps enable us to provide this."
After a Christmas break the festivals will be resuming on the 9th January with another tournament for the under 11s age group with the full schedule finishing at the end of February with the under 7s in time for the outdoor seasons to start around the region.
Under 11s – 9th January 2016 at Leeds Sports Centre, 1 Benyon Park Way, Leeds, LS12 6DP
Under 10s – 23rd January 2016 at Leeds Sports Centre, 1 Benyon Park Way, Leeds, LS12 6DP
Under 9s – 13th February 2016 at Leeds Sports Centre, 1 Benyon Park Way, Leeds, LS12 6DP
Under 8s – 20th February 2016 at Leeds Sports Centre, 1 Benyon Park Way, Leeds, LS12 6DP
Under 7s – 27th February 2016 at Leeds Sports Centre, 1 Benyon Park Way, Leeds, LS12 6DP
A video of Under 7s Indoor Touch Festival is available to view below: