Last week, at Newcastle Falcons, ESPN rugby Pete Richards along with Jamie Helleur, James Fitzpatrick and Falcons Community Foundations’ Danny Brown, led a coaching masterclass for over twenty five local coaches from across the Northumberland Area.
The local grassroots coaches received expert advice and coaching from Newcastle Falcons as well as the chance to talk rugby with ESPN’s Pete Richards.
Danny Brown - Community Development Officer
“To have the support from ESPN is fantastic and adds to what we hope is an insight in to the professional side of the game. With coaches coming to the event from clubs across Northumberland shows the support towards the Falcons and ESPN.”
Pete Richards – ESPN
“It was great to see a couple of members of the Falcons first team taking the session and giving some great insight in to the defensive roles at a higher level.
“I'm sure tonight's session will be of great value to the coaches that participated. The evening was a demonstration once again of ESPN working in conjunction with the Premiership clubs to deliver a top quality session in to grass roots rugby and supporting the development of the next raft of top players.”
This season, ESPN and the home club of every Aviva Premiership Rugby match broadcast live on the channel will be offering an exciting ESPN Premiership Rugby Masterclass to the local community during the two weeks leading up to the match.
Either a rugby masterclass will be offered to a local school new to rugby for 11 to 13 year olds, or a coaching masterclass will be offered to local volunteer coaches from grassroots clubs.
Former England and Leicester Tigers’ players and ESPN rugby analyst Austin Healey and Ben Kay, along with ESPN rugby presenters Mark Durden-Smith and Nick Mullins will take part in the masterclass programme, helping to coach, inform and inspire new rugby players as well as established coaches.
In addition to the two types of masterclass, there will also be a special end of season coaching session for the very best players from each of the masterclasses at schools new to rugby on the day of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final on Saturday 26th May 2012.
Run by Premiership Rugby coaches, it will involve a coaching session and a chance to meet some of the ESPN rugby presenters or analysts as well as tickets to the final.
