Rugby for Kids in Hong Kong: How and Why to introduce kids to Rugby

Rugby, whether Union or League, is a contact sport that teaches more than simply tackling, sprinting, and jumping. So, first and foremost, Rugby, whether Union or League, is a contact sport. As a result, unless under the supervision of a professional coach or as part of an official club or junior section training course, you should never try to teach your child how to tackle, ruck, or maul.

Rugby, on the other hand, isn't only about tackles and hits! So there are a variety of activities you may conduct with your youngster to expose them to this fantastic game. In this installment of our Sport for Kids series, we look at the fantastic sport of rugby!

Finding the right club for your kid is not that tricky: here are some examples - Hong Kong kids rugby club, London, Edinburgh, and Leeds.

Why Rugby?

Rugby has traditionally been seen as a team activity that fosters strong bonds, builds self-esteem, and promotes life skills such as leadership, charity, respect, and loyalty.

Rugby clubs are well-known for being family-friendly, welcoming places where the group's activities are valued more than individual acts.

The concept of controlled aggressiveness and respect for the physical side of the game can benefit everyone in the long run. Rugby may be a tough sport, but when played in the spirit of the game, this aspect of the game can assist teach discipline and mutual knowledge of what is right and wrong.

Rugby also has exceptional health and fitness advantages in addition to these characteristics. There are a few apparent but significant physical advantages of playing rugby.

The Health and Fitness Benefits of Rugby

Rugby is a fast-paced sport with few pauses and little time to stand still. Because positioning is crucial, cardiovascular fitness is essential for maintaining team structure. When it comes to breaking lines and setting up subsequent phases of play, though, speed and explosive bursts are possibly the most crucial factors. Similarly, continual mobility and awareness of position are critical in defense, so you can't be on your heels; you must always be moving!

Strength

As a sport that places a premium on physical strength, it should go without saying that having a strong and muscular body will help you enhance your Rugby game. This isn't to argue that you need to be gigantic to play rugby; far from it. However, adding more muscle or quality weight will aid you in almost any position. As your kid grows older and is ready to begin resistance training, it may benefit their Rugby game, especially if done under the supervision of a Rugby coach who understands what traits to focus on for your son or daughter's position.

Coordination of the hands and eyes

Rugby, like other team games, has a ball, however, unlike most team sports, the ball is oblong instead of spherical. Consequently, catching a Rugby ball is a one-of-a-kind sports ability that necessitates the use of hands, chest, and body placement.

Throwing a Rugby ball differs from most other sports in that it must travel backward while passing. The core muscles, wrists, obliques, and shoulders are all involved in this movement, as well as the delicacy portion of executing the pass with the hands.

It's never too early to learn how to catch and throw, just as in any other sport!

Being in the Open Air

Although this one is less physical, it does need some common sense. We are frequently stranded at home during the winter, and youngsters, in particular, might grow bored or quickly become engrossed in one or more screen-based activities. Aside from walking and conducting day-to-day tasks, the winter can be difficult for energetic children since playing outside is not always possible.

Rugby is a winter sport that gives an intensive and satisfying physical experience. As a result, your child will most likely be playing outside in less than ideal circumstances. This can help them build resilience, but it's also because they're getting fresh air and oxygen while racing around outside. What's not to like about that?

Children's Rugby Clubs and Coaching Organizations in Hong Kong

As we mentioned at the outset, the ideal place to start is most likely your local Rugby Club, or even a Rugby Tots class at your local leisure facility. A simple Google search for "Rugby for kids near me" can provide you with information about what is available.

The earlier they begin, the more likely they are to pick up on the subtleties of the game and learn the game and its concepts from the ground up. Fairness, discipline, and other values are instilled in children from an early age.

What you can accomplish from the comfort of your own home
We at The Sporting Blog believe that all children should be taught the fundamentals of all sports, which in our opinion are:

• Running
• Catching
• Throwing
• Kicking

You may play a variety of games with your children, regardless of their age, to help them develop one or more of the abilities indicated above.

Running

This should be encouraged to aid in the development of balance, leg strength, speed, and overall cardiovascular fitness. You'll just need some room for this, and you may start with small sprints or enjoyable jogs as a reward. You may include a competitive aspect to keep your child involved as they get older, such as timing runs between points, utilizing a track, and so on.

Grabbing and tossing

Get a sponge ball and throw it to your child while they are little. Teach children how to catch and return the ball, and they will profit in the long run. The earlier a youngster learns to catch and throw, the better their chances of picking up a sport rapidly. This improves not just hand-eye coordination, but also spatial awareness, depth perception, and restraint.

Your child will begin to teach itself distance, subtlety, and direction once they have discovered how far they can throw. It cannot be emphasized how important it is to learn to catch and throw before moving on to other sports.

Kicking

Most kids are born with a natural desire to kick! When they are in the uterus, they kick their moms, when they are newborns getting their diapers changed, and when they are toddlers, they kick the first object they see!

They also like kicking balls around. As a result, football is the most widely played sport on the globe. Kicking a Rugby ball is a little different than kicking a soccer ball. It does not roll in a straight line, and its unusual shape will irritate them. The objective is to teach kicking from the hands when they are able to coordinate themselves in this manner.

A tiny Rugby ball is inexpensive and makes a good addition to their athletic arsenal. Allow them to hold the ball, release it, and kick it in whichever direction they want. It makes no difference where it goes or how long it travels. The simple motions of release and kick, if mastered, will serve them well.

They can learn to kick a Rugby ball from the ground towards a target as if they were taking a penalty or kick at goal at a later time. Again, this is a basic exercise that will improve leg strength and coordination.

Start playing Rugby and get more active.

We hope that this article has provided you some insight into the advantages of children learning Rugby, as well as some motivation to get them away from their devices and outside to get some exercise!