The thin red line

Once the mist cleared it was a beautiful autumnal morning for the U9s second game of the season and first game of the season for Callum Worrell who had a brilliant game and captained the team after Ross Winstanley.

The team was instructed before the game to concentrate on four aims:
(1) Tackle correctly
(2) Organise a defensive line
(3) Play as a team
(4) Pass more than once

The first three aims were achieved as they executed an outstanding defensive game. Against two different teams and at times they had to work hard to repel a repeated Burnley assault only a metre from the Bury try line. The defensive side of the game was complemented by some very good individual runs and trys including two in the first few minutes.The passing more than once aim is something we will be working on in training next week as will the off side rule.... To quote Theodore Roosevelt "there is and never has been no effort without error and shortcoming and its not the critic who counts but the man who is in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood."

Each week the first question the coaching team are asked is: who is captain? Last year we used the "short straw" this year the captain is the player who has demonstrated rugby unions core values:
- Team work
- Respect
- Enjoyment
- Discipline
- Sportsmanship

The whole team can be commended for their passion, team work, and enjoyment as they all had fun. However, passion spilled over to ill discipline at times and we will have to channel and manage this is future games.

Training next week.