The Parkland Pirates rugby program has partnered with Rugby Canada to bring rugby into local schools for students in Grades 4 and 5.

Codi Harrigan has been running clinics in the five elementary schools in Dauphin, as well as in Grandview, after receiving a bursary from Rugby Canada,

“That’s something we’re incredibly proud of, especially as the only club in Manitoba and Saskatchewan leading this kind of work,” he said.

“It’s always been about the long game for us. We knew from day one, real results would take time, consistency and belief.”

The school program began, Apr. 6, and will end with a jamboree, May 15.

“All the schools will come together and showcase what they’ve learned, play against other kids and network with the other kids,” Harrigan.

The response to the program has been great, Harrigan said, adding the students are now playing the game.

“Whereas the first time we all got together, the kids had never even seen a rugby ball or knew anything about the sport. This week, every school has been playing full games of rugby between themselves,” he said.

The key to teaching the students about the game, Harrigan found, was hiding the learning in fun games and drills.

“We started off with a game called chaos and basically just built on that. Just hiding these little things in these drills and these fun games for them. Keeping it fun. At the end of the day, we still want them to just come out and have fun, pass the ball, get some touches in,” he said.

Harrigan visits some schools once a week and others twice a week. He added he would like to see the schools take the program on themselves.

For the full story, read this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.