Life’s a Beech with Hornets Foundation
ROCHDALE Hornets’ Sporting Foundation have once again linked up with Beech House School to deliver rugby league sessions to students at the school.
Community coach Jay Lobwein led the programme which taught children from year 3 right up to year 7 to improve their basic rugby skills.
Through touch sessions they improved their catching, passing and running while also working on some kicking skills towards the end of the programme.
Jay, who is also a first team member at Hornets, has been holding his sessions at the school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and he enjoyed working with the students at Beech House.
“It’s been great fun working with the kids at the school over the past couple of months,” he commented.
“We’ve been with them since just after Christmas, and it was good to see boys and girls of all abilities get involved.
“Seeing the kids having fun and also improving their skills was rewarding for me as a community coach, and I can’t wait to work with Beech House again in the near future.”
Plans are already in place for Jay and the foundation to return next term to coach the year 9s at the school, and PE teacher Greg Bateman was also delighted with the sessions.
“The students have really enjoyed having a coach in from Rochdale Hornets delivering their Games sessions,” he explained.
“They were really excited to be playing rugby and have improved a lot, particularly in their game play and running past opposing defenders.
“From Year 3 to Year 7, there has been a good blend of fun, learning and development, with all students being challenged whatever their past experience. Hopefully we can link up again with the guys at the Hornets again next year.”
Recently Rochdale Hornets’ Sporting Foundation held a Rochdale Primary School Origins tournament at Cardinal Langley RC High School.
Community coach Michael Ratu, who is also a member of the 2017 first team, ran the tournament with teacher Emma Mooney as five teams from throughout the borough competed.
It was a closely contested event in which Smithy Bridge were the outright winners, as St Mary’s RC Middleton finished second to qualify for the Winter Games with St Vincent’s narrowly missing out.
There were also teams from St Mary’s RC Littleborough and Holy Family RC as all of the students thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Ratu was delighted with the event and believes it was yet another indication of the great work the foundation does with the Origin series.
“It was a great event which brought together schools from all over the borough,” he commented.
“Myself and Emma refereed the tournament and there could only be one winner, however it was very tight at the top of the table with just two points separating the top three.
“It was a major success for the Origins series and we would like to thank all of the schools who took part and to Cardinal Langley for hosting us for the day.”