Rugby Ontario High Performance Program Returns To Field

August 05, 2020

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Rugby Ontario High Performance Program Returns To Field

August 5th, 2020 

(WHITBY, ON) - On Monday, August 3rd at the Whitby Abilities Centre Fields, the Rugby Ontario High Performance Program kicked-off Session #1 of their 10-Week Provincial Training Program. 

 The goal of this program is to reintroduce high performance athletes into an elite training environment and to work within the current Return to Play guidelines to ensure growth and development. Training will run on Sundays (or Mondays of long weekends) up until the first week of October and will be hosted at Victoria Fields in Whitby.  By operating at one site throughout the summer, the Ontario Blues will be able to ensure the appropriate safety procedures are in place and monitored by Rugby Ontario staff. This model also allows us to create a best-on-best environment where elite players from across the province are training together. 

 Session 1 involved over 130 male and female athletes (U15 to U18) from across the province. While there was some obvious "rust" to get out of the system, and fitness levels might not have been where they once were, the level of commitment and enthusiasm was at an all-time high. The players were ecstatic to be back on the pitch. 

Each athlete was provided a new Gilbert training ball and Rugby Ontario Branded Face Coverings, as they participated in a session designed for Phase 1 training. Despite rain shortening the women's session, the coaches felt that overall, it was a great first step in our Return to Play. 

Thank you to the seven players with the Toronto Arrows who worked with the Ontario Coaching Staff at each age grade stations. The focus moving forward for the Rugby Ontario HP Program is to be fully aligned with the Arrows. Over the next four sessions, the program will be moving to Phase 2 of training.  

"Sessions will expand to focus on Pass/Catch/Run, Ground Work, Off-Loading, Defensive Tracking/Linkage and Shape, Attack Shape, Kicking/Counter-Attack and Transition...basically, everything we would do in a mid-season session, all while maintaining physical distancing, but also removing contact." stated High Performance Manager Paul Connelly. "Our hope is that by September, we will be able to move into Phase 3 training". 

For any  NEW  potential High-Performance male or female athletes (U15 to U18) who wish to be considered for the Summer/Fall program, please email:  

Sean Medieros-HP Co-ordinator (smedeiros@rugbyontario.com)and  

Paul Connelly-HP Manager (pconnelly@rugbyontario.com)for a program application.

ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES

The Ontario Blues program is the high performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues. The program includes representative teams from Under-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens and Under-18 Men's and Women's Sevens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.


ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.

To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/


WANT MORE INFORMATION?


Dalton Finkbeiner

 Communications and Marketing Coordinator - Rugby Ontario

    647-560-4790 x 1006

    dfinkbeiner@rugbyontario.com


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