Head Coach, Steve Tandy, and Elite Youth Performance Manager, Dan Griffiths, helped deliver the second of two special development evenings for club coaches in the region on Wednesday evening.
The pair joined Dan Owens, WRU/Ospreys Coach Development Officer, at Gowerton RFC for the session which enabled active 1st XV, 2nd XV or Youth coaches to gain an insight into elite level coaching strategies and techniques.
There were coaches in attendance from Gowerton RFC, Mumbles RFC, Penclawdd RFC and Swansea Uplands, following a similar event at Bridgend RFC last week led by Chris Gibbes and Gruff Rees. The coaches were joined by players from their clubs, allowing Tandy and Griffiths to deliver a fully hands-on experience.
After an introduction from Dan Owens, whose Coach Development team has been acclaimed as the best in Wales by 1st4sport Qualifications, Griffiths outlined Ospreys back play policy through an interactive video session, whilst Steve hit the field from the off to go through forward play.
A split unit session continued for about hour and half before forwards and backs then combined to cover structural phase play before the evening concluded with an informal Q&A session in which the club coaches got to quiz the boys on all topics rugby related.
Post event, Dan Owens said that having introduced the concept of these development evenings, he wanted to see them grow to become key dates in the calendar over the coming seasons.
“I think we’ve established the value of the event in the eyes of the coaches who took part and they will take the message back to their respective clubs that these evenings can really be of benefit” said Owens.
“With the commitment from the senior coaching group at the Ospreys, we can really build on this platform next year and everybody is grateful to them for their support. It was great to hear Steve, Dan, Griff and Chris echo the messages that we push on our courses, and in the community game generally, and to demonstrate that regardless of the level, rugby is rugby. It’s the same game and only the players abilities are different.
“If coaches want to improve the quality of their players and the quality of game played across the region and across Wales, they firstly need to consider how they can improve themselves. Engaging with the upper echelon of coaching in the region has to be a step for any coach wishing to push on – the Ospreys are providing that opportunity to develop from within and will continue to do so in the future.”
Tandy echoed those comments, saying:
“Both myself and Dan Griffiths are coaches who have progressed along the Ospreys development pathway so fully appreciate the efforts of the Dan Owens and his team to improve the standard of coaching in the game at all levels across the region, which is why we are pleased to be able to support these events.
“Development from within is what the Osprey are all about and the only way to get better players coming through the system is to create better coaches, which will enable them to deliver quality sessions at their clubs week in, week out. It’s the only way forward and we are fully behind events like this which can really have a positive impact.”
Dan Owens and the Ospreys would like to express their thanks to Gowerton RFC for their hospitality in allowing use of the clubhouse and facilities and to the clubs for providing access to their players.
For full details of the 2014/15 Coach Development Programme please click here.
