Learning at every level and letting the players set the standard
Scott Boland coaches within different environments. He discusses the joys and challenges of rugby in Canada.
Scott Boland coaches across four different levels of rugby in Canada, in both women’s and men’s rugby. Scott talks about the landscape of women’s rugby in Canada and why it’s important that players set the standard:
I currently occupy four roles: I work with a local Toronto High School as a technical skills coach for both girls and junior and senior boys. I also work as a forwards/contact coach for Seneca College ( 2-3 yr technical school ) in Sevens. I am a forwards coach for a Local Toronto Premier Club and also a lineout coach for Ontario Sr Women.
Recently, the landscape for Womens rugby in Canada has surpassed the men. Our women’s teams have played in a world cups, world cup 7s and achieving a bronze medal in the olympics.
The 15s team are ranked in the top four in the world and the 7s program is always competitive and widely respected. Locally, we see the enrollment grow every year at all levels. We have even seen 7’s specific clubs being formed and a leagues being built around those. There are lots of opportunities for players as well as coaches to keep the game growing.
Coaches set the precedent that we are only there to help them with their goals ( individual, forwards/backs, team, club etc.). The players and executive drive the culture and goals for the year.
They set the standards that we as coaches develop plans for the to help achieve that. This comes with a lot of trust and communication that is constant throughout the season. If standards are not being met we speak to the leadership group and they address the players as a whole.
We treat the boys/mens team the same way. When players of all grades have a sense of ownership and input they will inevitably put more into the year and get more out.
Female players appreciate that they get treated like any other player. In my experience they don’t want special treatment they want equal respect and effort on our part.
I have been coaching womens rugby more than mens in recent years. Truthfully, I find coaching womens rugby to more enjoyable. Players ask more questions, communicate with each other and coaches more openly.
The best thing I can do as a coach and an ally is ensure they have a safe environment to express themselves athletically and help build club or team culture as they see fit.
You would think that the sessions at the four different levels I coach at would be drastically different, they’re not. Even at the senior women level we work on basic skills every day: catch, pass footwork, contact.
However, changes appear when looking at we ask from the players at each level. This includes standards they have set and agreed to, other than Ontario where standards are set by the national team coaches as these teams are mostly evaluation camps and games.
We at every level try to impart the why as much as the how; tactics as much as technics. What we have seen in the last few years is a much greater ability for the players to manage their own games and allow us to be evaluators.
From a senior womens perspective in Canada we need to find a way to get our top players more games. We have a handful of national players playing oversees which is invaluable but that doesn’t raise the level of the players that stay home.
Rugby is not as big of a game here as it is in England, France and NZ. We have a lot of great athletes that play other sports including ice hockey, basketball and volleyball. The attractiveness of athletic scholarships to big US schools drives people to those sports.
In age grade there is a lot of work being done between Canada and the US to get as much exposure to competitive games. However, like all sports, funding provides the limits to that.
Womens rugby is the fastest growing sport for numbers in the last few years. With that comes another challenge: keeping them in the game. If we have a total of 90 girls playing across 3 teams at the high school, only about 2% may play club and less after school is over.
Higher skilled and capable players on averages stay with it until university or just after. Our goals as coaches is to try and establish a mindset that this is a game you can play for a long time, and the enjoyment of the culture gets even better the longer you play.
The obvious aspect of recruitment and growth of the sport is concussions. Parents are hesitant having their child begin the sport. Even with the implementation of Rowans Law here in Canada and the coaching training program on concussion, they dont feel it is worth the risk.
Truthfully I dont think that will change. All we can do as a sport is educate the parents as much as the potential player of what they can expect from us and the environment they will be in.
Pinning down a favourite moment of coaching is hard. It can be as simple as seeing the confidence in a young player making their first play or tackle and seeing the confidence grow exponentially. Players also have called me after making a representative team.
All my good memories usually involve players of any any age really enjoying the progress they have made and growing in the game. I remember that far more than wins or losses
I dont think I coach women any differently than I coach men and that actually comes from the respect I have for both. If you’re new to a team my tip is to ask plainly what they expect from you. It’s their team and goals not yours. I think a coach who feels they have to coach women differently is a bit disrespectful.
That said, the days of the bombastic screaming coach I think and hope are long gone. If you feel you are one of those you need to reassess why you coach and you effectiveness.
Coaching across four levels of rugby, allows me to reflect upon the nature of progression. You can have a senior player come to provincial tryouts, they’re a great athlete with a good attitude but their core skills are limited. It reminds me of no matter what level I’m at to never take the basics for granted and encourage the players to own these skills as a passport to enjoying the game even more.
A fun aspect of coaching across four levels is that we get players to come to other sessions. I get the senior players to come run sessions at the high school or club which is great for both.
It also allows me to grow my circle of coaching friends as well. We all steal from each other or like to reach out for advice. If I can meet a coach I can reach out to or have them reach out to me it’s a huge plus.
Coaching philsophy: I believe in preparation=proficiency. That said my only focus for players is to allow them an environment where they enjoy the game, their teammates and a chance to get better everyday. At beginner level to our women on selection lists for Canada, their passion to learn and enjoy the game must never be quashed.