Rugby players and Serevi Rugby coaches united for a weekend camp at Texas Christian University (TCU), Fort Worth, Texas to further develop rugby athletes’ high performance skills. TCU hosted the men’s and women’s USA Rugby High Performance Camp powered by Serevi on December 13-14, 2014. Rugby Sevens Legend, Waisale Serevi and his Seattle-based partners founded Serevi Rugby in 2010.
A diverse group of 100 male and female athletes attended the camp, ranging in age from high school, collegiate, to adults up to age 50. According to Serevi High Performance Director, Chris Tombs (who was in attendance), the 50-year-old woman was very enthusiastic and managed to take part in every possible activity from performance benchmarking through to contact progressions with Coach Fitzpatrick.
Serevi coaches at the event consisted of USA Eagles Fifteens Assistant Coach Justin Fitzpatrick and USA Eagles players Shalom Suniula and Matt Trouville. “Headquartered in Seattle, Serevi® is focused on growing the game of rugby in North America and beyond” (Serevi Rugby. Company. bit.ly/1ykeWg7).
The event kicked off Friday night with a skills session with the TCU rugby team, followed by a high-protein Texas-style dinner to prepare for the weekend. The specific competencies taught at the camp include best practices and trends in rugby, centered on physical and mental skill development. The methods of instruction are hands-on, but mental skills are also part of the program’s model.
Combine style power and speed tests were delivered Saturday morning, alongside two other groups conducting comprehensive handling and decision-making drills. The combine ensured a large data collection across a vast range of rugby athletes.
Following the essential skills morning sessions, Saturday afternoon built upon and implemented elements learned, and concluded the physical performance benchmarking with the Yo-Yo test. Proficiencies carried on into Sunday incorporated Saturday’s drills of handling, continuity, footwork, and contact area work.
The camp ended successfully on Sunday with groups of players “scrimmaging” in order to use their collective knowledge gained from the weekend’s camp. These dedicated athletes and coaches expanded their horizons, not only with their newly acquired rugby intelligence, but with the ever-strengthening rugby bonds with each other.
Serevi Rugby Camps provide tips and tools to improve rugby athlete performance, in a positive, enjoyable manner. The distinguishing factors that are evident in their athletic camps are the guidance, trust, and proud memories that are created and treasured by every participant. Cultivated self-confidence allows athletes to believe in themselves and expand their heart and mind to inspire long-lasting friendships. These foundations nurture an environment of fun and opportunity to develop friendships and camaraderie, which are some of the core values of rugby as a sport.
When one of Serevi Rugby’s Coaches, Shalom Suniula, was asked what he liked best of the camp, he said “The new friends I’ve made; best thing about rugby for me personally.” Tombs said the players were incredibly eager to learn and soak up the technical details instilled upon them by these elite coaches and relished in their interactions with the coaches and athletic peers.
Serevi Rugby is a terrific role model for rugby that inspires the optimization of other rugby programmes and coaching formats. Serevi camps bring further meaning to positively impact the sport in a unique experience for the athletes who attend. Rugby players left the camp in Texas satisfied and fulfilled. According to one of the athletes in attendance, Bob Hancock, he was proud to have learned from some of the best coaches and players in America, and impressed with their willingness to share their knowledge of the game.
The players who attended the camp demonstrated enthusiasm and passion. Rugby player Audrey Eades shared positive feedback, “Such an amazing camp! Learned so many new things and can’t wait to use it on the field.” Part of the effectiveness of this value-added strategy is that everyone involved in the camp absorbed positive emotions and smiles. Rugby around the world features these extraordinary demonstrations of character in athletes, making it one of the pinnacle examples for sports as a role model of camaraderie.
Until the next opportunity to attend a Serevi camp, the players and coaches reflect on their time spent together and their gratitude to each other. Tombs, says “a special thanks to the staff and players of TCU, who could not have been anymore helpful in making sure the camp was nothing but a success.”
The athletes who attended focus their energy on the intertwined shared values of new friendships and absorb the breadth of knowledge of skills taught at the camp so they can be prepared for and imagine the days ahead of what comes next in their rugby life.
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