As well as running three senior teams, Marple Rugby Club has a thriving junior section, offering competitive matches and training to players from 5 to 19 years of age. Since the junior club was formed in the year 2000, the Minis and Youth section has grown in membership to approaching 200 registered players, and the club now competes in matches at every age ranging from under 7s tag to under 18s rugby.
New players of any experience and ability are warmly welcomed at the club; with novices and newcomers able try the game for up to three sessions for free, before deciding if they wish to join for the season. To encourage new players and introduce them to the greatest team game in the world, we are running an open day on the 11th September. Boy and girls of all ages can join in a training session and then socialise in the clubhouse afterwards.
Annual subscriptions for the 2011-12 season currently stand at £55.00 per season with no additional match fees although this comes down to £50.00 if paid before the end of September 2011. Please note, match kit is often supplied by the club through team sponsorship, but not in all cases. Safety equipment such as gum shields, shin pads and scrum caps are strongly recommended by the club, but are the responsibility of parents.
Marple Minis and Youth teams train and play regular matches between 10am and 12 noon on Sunday mornings during the season at our excellent facilities at Wood Lane, Marple. The club has two full size pitches and a three-quarter-size junior pitch, with other lawned space for additional training and warm up routines. We also offer a dedicated scrummaging paddock, containing a state of the art Rhino scrum machine.
Each age range is regularly coached by three RFU qualified (level 1 minimum) and CRB-checked coaches, and the same set of coaches will generally stay with a team as they progress through the age groups. Properly trained coaches are important in the development of the players as they progress through the RFU defined age group continuum, which gradually introduces a physical contact element to the game from the under 9s level.