Almost 10,000 young people have been involved in Ospreys in the Community activities since June.
- Ten rugby camps held across Ospreylia and Europe, with 100 children attending a camp in Belgium.
- Senior camps sold out for the first time.
- 650 minis and juniors reached at five club nights around the region.
Ospreys in the Community have had their busiest Summer yet, with almost 10,000 young people engaged since June, not just across Ospreylia but across Europe!
The ever popular OitC camps, now powered by Lovell Rugby, continue to go from strength to strength, with ten camps held this summer. As well as the established 3 day Llandarcy camp, which was sold out, outreach camps were held in Bishopston and Bridgend. There was also the all girls camp and senior camp, which for the first time since it’s inception was a sell out. The camp’s growing notoriety obvious, with children from England, Spain and even Dubai attending!
August also saw the Ospreys in the Community coaching team head over to Belgium to sister club ASUB Rugby Waterloo, to provide a five day rugby camp for 100 children aged between 6 and 18 years old.
OitC Club Nights were also back this summer with events held for mini and junior sections of five clubs so far. With the clubs using the sessions for current and potential new players, more than 650 children have enjoyed coaching from the community team, as well as the chance to meet, and train with, Ospreys players.
As well as engaging young people through touch rugby, summer festivals and the ever growing Ospreys Schools Programme, OitC also took to the sand with 1,700 school pupils this summer. Children from 50 Ospreylian schools took part in Payton Jewell Caines Ospreys in the Community Beach Rugby Festivals at Swansea Bay, Rest Bay and Aberavon.
Paul Whapham, Foundation Manager Ospreys in the Community, commented on the team’s summer:
“It’s been an incredibly busy three months for the team but it’s also been incredibly successful, having nearly 10,000 people engaged in such a short space of time is unprecedented but goes to show the hard work the team do and the great links we are building with schools, clubs and other organisations around the region.
“This year we’ve offered more rugby camps, in more places, than ever before and we’re delighted to see them all so well attended, especially pleasing was seeing our first sell out on the senior camp. These kind of attendances can only be a positive for clubs in our area, they’re promoting the game and the camps are giving children a positive experience of the sport. In some instances it’s their first experience of rugby and gives them the confidence to go on and join their local side.
“We’d
also like to thank our partners who have supported us this summer and without
whom we wouldn’t be able reach so many young people across the region”.