Gregor Townsend encourages a positive attitude towards youth rugby coaching
10/12/2009
A group of youth rugby coaches from Clackmannanshire heard from Scottish rugby legend Gregor Townsend at a Positive Coaching Workshop at Lornshill Academy last night.
Townsend, who has 82 caps for Scotland and was a part of The British and Irish Lions successful tour to South Africa in 1997, enlightened the coaches on the importance of positive coaching throughout his career.
Throughout his presentation, Scotland’s attack coach highlighted the importance of a positive mentality towards coaching youngsters’ rugby, urging the coaches in the room to motivate and inspire their players. “I believe a coach’s main goal should be to get the best out of their players,” he said.
Townsend spent time speaking to the coaches about the importance of teachable moments throughout his young career. He was encouraged to make mistakes as a youngster, reflect upon them and learn from them.
“That was the one thing in my career, especially as I was coming though as a teenager, I had coaches who encouraged me to learn and make mistakes, because that’s the only way you will improve.”
Townsend also praised one of his best coaches as the current Edinburgh coach, Rob Moffat, who coached him as a 15-year-old at Galashiels Academy.
“He coached me for three of four years,” he recalled. “He was fantastic at developing players and he continues to do a lot of what he did back when I was at school some 20 years ago now with Edinburgh.
“To me, a good coach at any level is someone who is enthusiastic, brings energy, and also encourages the players. I was actually at Edinburgh today and Rob was out there in the pouring rain, helping the players with their passing and kicking, doing one-on-one’s, and this was a player who’s nowhere near the squad, encouraging them to work on their game.
“He did that when I was 14-15 years old 20 years ago and he’s kept that enthusiasm in his coaching for a love of the game. I think any player who plays the sport, it’s a love and enjoyment of the game and as coaches it’s out job to keep building the players up and keep that enthusiasm there.”
Ben Hanvey, Clackmannanshire Rugby Development Officer highlighted the success of the evening in spreading the PCS message. "Having Gregor Townsend there to enforce the importance of Positive Coaching Scotland in our sport is extremely motivational for the rugby coaches in Clackmannanshire," he said.