The London Skolars Vikingly Inspired session of #TheBlackRednGreen U12s/13s in N22

 

The weather remained arctically chilled, the Perth road pitches were ideal for a session of inspirational Rugby League discovery.

The training area prepped and meticulously coned. The players arrived en masse and on time and THEY unleashed their skills to light up N22.

Each station was approached with the same great attitude, effort and listening. There is no “I” in Skolars Rugby League just “Team”. Each one of the youngsters giving it their all and best effort in temperatures that were dropping quicker than a Viking catching a ball!!

The winds picked up, the wind chill cooled the breeze, the session was picking up pace and with some fantastic hands in traffic would see the guys through the next phase of the morning.

These pre-season sessions can always prove tricky with numbers and improvement of skills. There is nothing disappointing here, no negatives all Nordically positive and the post session smiles say it all. Even after the final two minute run throughs the smiles and enjoyment continued to grow.

With the final effort complete, the team warm down and huddle produced the biggest smiles of the morning before departing for home

These children haven’t come down to the Home of Rugby League in N22 for nothing, they have come to give it their all, listening, learning and being inspired by all of their newly found friends and team mates.

This is Rugby League . . . This is London Skolars . . . #BlackRednGreen!!

Vikingly Inspired Half Term session of #The BlackRednGreen U12s/13s in N22

After the disappointment of an overwhelming defeat at the Hands of Minor Premiers Sydney Roosters I would arrive this day feeling energized and tanned after a couple of days on the Scandinavian sunshine coast of Walthamstow E17!!

Having inspiringly prepared a session fit for the athletic youth of the Skolars they would arrive in numbers. The challenge that would present itself was not in the skill set of these young mortals but building new friendships along way whilst playing THE game they love.

With only a handful of Rugby League hours under their belts they are coming along with a Nordic passion and Icelandic Inspiration, Odin would be proud!

The players arrive on time, they listen, and work hard with smiles and give plenty of effort and do everything as a team, there is no selfishness just an aim, an aim of togetherness and Team!

With half term coming to an end the children put in an awesome shift and post session two minute drill was accepted, completed and achieved as one unit of Rugby League Inspiration.

The warm down even more so, every last one making sure they had a good stretch before departing for the homesteads.

Having inspired one group of players it would now be a quick turnaround a la Casa de Viking before once more traversing the A406 to the Promised Land of New River and the Ipro Cup matchup against our friends from the Southern valleys.

The first serious hit up for the guys, who over the last weeks and months have been giving it there all, would be tested by an all Welsh team, which is awesome news for the game. Imagine, a team full of Welsh lads, a team full of Londoners and a game of Rugby League, #SouthernHeartlandRL is building the momentum slowly just like a Freight train and once it begins and gets up a head of steam there will be no stopping it!!

HC JC would be booting up for this one. The weather would monsoon pre-kick-off making handling conditions impossible but I doth my Horned Helmet to the lads for although there were a lot of knock ons this kept the game extremely tight for the first twenty and then it happened, HC JC unleashed the Tackling beast not once, not twice but thrice and this would invigorate the rest of the team to lift their game and it paid dividends.

The rain abated . . . slightly and we began to play our game, some strong carries, some great passing and we would unleash the Beast of N22 and take the lead. Upon that note I would grab another cuppa and before I could say one sugar we were in again and pressing for the next score.

The boys came out for a drier 2^nd half and would continue in the same vein as they finished the first with some great passing moves and even bigger hits. The visiting team were beginning to tire and Skolars would punish any opportunity given working the ball from side to side and hitting holes at pace.

The pack now gaining an upper hand would set the platform for the backs to show their speed and skills. It was great to watch and will set us up nicely for the next matchup.

The boys delivered at home, in awful conditions against a team that usually turns the tables but not today!!

#TheBlackRednGreenofN22, the only place to be!!

I bid you Good evening as I now prepare to let the Lady Wife watch Ant n Dec before settling down to watch Wigan take on the Broncos of Brisbane.

An Inspiring Blast of Vikingness with #The BlackRednGreen U12s/13s

An extremely crisp, clear and precipitous morning would greet us as we approached the home of Rugby League in the Southern Heartland of Rugby League.

With session in one hand, two lots of cones at the ready and the Viking in his finest regalia would meet the Nordic weather head on. For this would be Summer Rugby with wind-chill and the #BlackRednGreen of Skolars finest juniors would not let the conditions dictate play.

After last week’s mind-blowing Icelandic session I would lay yet more challenges down for the young Skolars of the future and get them thinking about the Greatest Game once again.

The wind picked up, the guys picked up a ball, the wind-chill began to freeze hands, the skills on display would warm the heart and blow the mind. The enthusiasm would be inspired and reciprocated. For these young athletes would not let an icy wind-chill deter them from having fun with the only ball worth worrying about.

It was a coaching minefield but one dutifully accepted by the Ever Tanning inspiration, who by the way had recently suntanned on Thursday!!

The ten passes would lead us into the paciest Rugby Netball known to Nordics and led us into the Promised Land.

Skills required in THE game is the ability to grip, carry and play the ball, all of the above on display in our half pitch team race, add into that some protective falling and Embed the Pathway would be tearful at this point with joy!!

There would be no let up as challenge after challenge, skill after skill would be displayed with smiles as wide as Perth Road and as the catches were made I couldn’t have been prouder.

The wind chilled ever so more, the hands would be even crispier than a Rice Krispie square bar, the calling even more in tune than the Fab 4 harmonies. The two vs. one would be quick and definate, the basics of Rugby League skills being unleashed to the Scandinavian Nation.

This would lead us not in temptation but deliver us unto the fabled three vs. two and four vs. three. Plenty to think about, plenty to enjoy.

The cheeks reddened, the hands numbing by the minute, movement in the joints seizing by the second but this would not deter our young band for they would stick to the grubbers and kick tennis with the Vigour of Vikingism. The points flowed; the grubbers played their part, the high bombs unleashing catch after catch.

The penultimate rendition would see them wrap up with Overload touch to keep the blood pumping and the bodies warm before delivering an extension of our two minute drill. This would be 500m spread across three disciplines; down n ups Starlo style and would be completed as one impenetrable unit of Black Red n Green.

All the way through there was great commitment to the cause of the Viking and his Young Warriors. Even post running we warmed down, huddled up and grew as a team.

These young players have shown the attitude, respect, and teamwork that I only dream of which has now become a reality of Nordic proportions and one that has truly blown my mind.

London Skolars U12s/13s I doth my horned helmet, for I am humbled in your presence, continue to do what you do and you will become a great group of athletes, friends and Rugby League players!!

What a group of children, all willing, all listening, all Skolars!!

I thank you and bid you Good day for these are the ever scribing words of the Awe Inspiring Tanning sensation of the Icelandic, neigh, Scandinavian Nation in N22!!

A Final postscript would see me journey to the outer reaches of Hemel Stags where I would cast an eye over the South East Colleges Rugby League trials. Over fifty lads from across the South East giving it their all in the Iciest tundra like winds imaginable. With cuppa in hand the Viking strode out into the icy blasts to peruse and enjoy the Greatest game before departing for the warmth of Casa de Viking.

I bid you Good evening!!

The 2016 Journey of the #BlackRednGreen @LondonSkolarsRL U13s of N22 begins . . .

A Damp, grey morning would greet us as we approached the home of Rugby League in N22. This would not deter the enthusiasm brought by the Viking et al. For this day had finally arrived and I was ready to unleash the proverbial Coaching Beast to full effect!!

In attendance and giving his commitment to the cause of the U12s/13s horde would be young Donny, a great player from our U17s/19s now giving something back to the younger generation.

A session of Inspiration would ensue, as always, the session was pre-prepped by the scribing hand of the Nordic and would be timed to perfection. Nothing but fun, hands, skills and then some.

The key to this morning was to unleash the smiles and introduce how much fun it is to pass, catch and kick the ball with your new found friends who will be part of your journey of Rugby League discovery over the coming years.

The cones were set, the session discussed, the arrival imminent and we were away. Simple warm ups, plenty of hands, plenty of try scoring, plenty of play the ball.

Starlo, you would have been proud, the hands were top drawer, one step pop along the line at pace, leading the receiver to his ultimate destiny of the catch ‘n’ pass, heavenly to view from the side!!

By the time we hit the ol’ classics of Rugby netball and basketball the boys had made 12 passes and covered 40metres and scored twice, imagine this on a full pitch, one side to the other, holes galore in a defence just waiting for us to hit the gaps!!

Once into 2 vs. 1, some more deep passing would lead into the promised land of 3 vs. 2, the like of which was standard setting at every turn. There would be no let up on this the new dawn of Rugby League in 2016. This morning would raise the bar.

Into our grubber kicking and high bombs led us nicely into the penultimate psalm of a scribing inspired morning of fun and Overload touch, end to end team work, side to side hands, and huge grins lighting up the grey skies!!

The final part of the fun would be a team 2 minute drill with coaches included, down ‘n’ ups along the way, encouragement across all lines, not once but twice. Nothing was left in the tank all was left on Perth Road for this was the return of the Black Red ‘n’ Green.

What a beginning, what an opportunity, what a group of children, all willing, all listening, all Skolars!!

I thank you and bid you Good day for these are the Ever Scribing words of the Awe Inspiring Tanning Sensation of the Icelandic, neigh, Scandinavian Nation in N22!!