A Derry city rugby club with a difference is bringing skills to a brand new generation.
Owner of Rugbytots NI North West Aaron Logan wanted to find something to combine his passion for working with kids and sport.
Rugbytots was originally established in England in 2006 and in the Summer of 2022 Aaron bought the franchise for the North West of Northern Ireland.
Read more: Cookbook launch helps more than 5,000 Derry tenants tackle rising costs
Rugbytots has been thriving since its establishment and provides a fun and healthy way for the kids of Derry and the North West to learn new skills.
Speaking to MyDerry, Aaron said: "Having spent ten years working as a primary teacher in Liverpool, I returned to Northern Ireland with my wife and two young boys looking for a new adventure, one where I could balance work with our busy family commitments and Rugbytots was the perfect avenue for this.
"Rugbytots is a fun, structured play session which takes children on a journey of sporting imagination with engaging and energetic coaches supporting them every step of the way. Our lessons teach children how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. We deliver classes for three different age groups; 2-3.5 year olds, 3.5-5 year olds and 5-7 year olds.
"As the school year has progressed, school and nursery bookings have significantly increased and we have provided opportunities for hundreds of children across the North West to experience all of the benefits of rugby. We offer free taster sessions for anyone interested in finding out what the classes have to offer."
The premise of Rugbytots is to not only improve the health and fitness of children in Derry and the North West, but to make sports fun for them as well.
Aaron said: "Our programme has been developed to develop each child’s physical, psychological and social attributes, as well as gently encouraging rugby specific skills. Most importantly, we believe that when people have fun, the process of learning or even joining in from the side-lines becomes more meaningful and memorable.
"Our motto at Rugbytots is simple; "Make it more fun". We do this by delivering our specifically designed programme for each age group with energy, enthusiasm and excitement.
"This creates an atmosphere in the class that is totally unique and engaging for parents and children alike. Our 'fun first' programme has been developed to promote core rugby principles while meeting important pre-school learning objectives such as colour, number and body-part recognition; counting, socialising, following instructions and using imagination. All of this combines to make Rugbytots a truly distinctive experience – and one that we are always aiming to make even better.
"If you think that your setting could benefit from Rugbytots classes, then please get in touch. I am also planning to expand our current bank of coaches and provide opportunities for new individuals to experience fantastic benefits of becoming a Rugbytots coach."
More information about Rugbytots can be found on their social media pages.
READ NEXT:
- Derry man keeps memory of wife alive in London Marathon fundraiser
- Derry's ARC Fitness campaign to show people "are more than the sum of our mistakes"
- Derry woman donates New Year's Eve takings to Foyle Hospice in memory of late Granny
- Ulster University professor calls for "public awareness campaign" after MICA found in Derry
To get the latest breaking news from Co Derry straight to your inbox, sign up to our free newsletter.
