PRIMARY CHILDREN GET ACTIVE - 3 October 2007
Over 300 primary five, six and seven children had a fantastic time recently at a joint hockey and rugby festival in Peebles. The festival was organised as a joint project between Active Schools and Peebles Rugby Club, and was attended by primary schools from across Tweeddale.
The ethos of the festival was to allow large numbers of children to be active and enjoy playing sport in a relaxed, fun environment.
The rugby festival was for boys and girls in primary five, and was the follow up to a programme of school based coaching sessions. On arrival at the festival, the children were divided into the twenty teams taking part in this years' Rugby World Cup. Children then had the opportunity to play a number of small-sided touch rugby games against the other countries in their pool.
The hockey festival was for boys and girls in primary six and seven, and followed a block of hockey delivered by primary school PE staff over the autumn term. Children attended in school teams and played a number of mini-hockey matches against the other teams in their pool. With twenty school teams attending the hockey, this year's festival was the busiest yet.
All games in both sports were refereed by senior pupils from Peebles High School. The referees did a superb job and huge thanks go to them for helping make the day such a success.
It is hoped that many of the children who attended the festival will continue playing hockey or rugby through the local club structure.
Anyone interested in playing rugby is welcome to come along to any of the club's mini-rugby sessions at Priorsford Primary School on Saturdays from
10am - 11.15am, Haylodge Park on Sundays from 10am - 11.15am or West Linton playing fields on Sundays from 10am - 11.15am. For further information on any of these sessions please contact Peebles Rugby Club Development Officer, Graeme Paterson on 07812 028 172.
If you would like to play hockey, you are welcome to come along to Peebles Hockey Club's junior coaching sessions. These take place at Gytes Leisure Centre on Mondays from 4.30pm - 5.30pm. For further information on these sessions please contact the Active Schools Coordinator, Paul Murray on 07785 332 882.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding rugby in the area please get in touch with me through email graemeipaterson@aol.com or telephone (07812 028 172)