Devon Boys - U15s
Devon Schools U15's via the Devon DPP
A change in the route to playing for Devon Schools U15's in 2014/15.
Hello,
Devon Schools in the past few years have been running a Development Day as part of selection for the Devon U15’s, but last year we had 160 players, which is unmanageable. During the same period Exeter Chiefs (Devon DPP) have been running selection for their team to attend the England Harrow 12’s Tournament (held first weekend in May). Both organisations are focusing on probably 90% of the same playing group, it has become apparent that we should pool resources and effort. So on Tuesday 28th October at Bicton College (could be moved to Sandy Park), Devon DPP will be holding a Festival. It is planned to have 4 (possibly a 5th Barbarians side) teams from Devon there under the North, East, South and West Devon team heading and 2 from Cornwall (North and South) It is envisaged that the DPP Day will follow the same format used at Harrow, that is 12-a-side game lasting 15 minutes. This arrangement has both advantages and disadvantages; it promotes earlier ball to the wing’s , but does not facilitate three back-row players slowing the ball down. So if any of the players at your club took part in the Devon Festival at Exmouth in 2014 and would like to trial as a member of a Devon District side contact the following District Coaches by email:-
East: Glenn Channing glennchanning@msn.com
North: John Knill john.knill@awareservices.co.uk
South: Tim Swainson kt125@btinternet.com
West: Mac Bayliss bayliss.mac@btinternet.com
The Devon U15’s Coaches will be in attendance and will be looking for about 60 players to invite to a Devon Schools Trial planned to be held before Christmas to become the 2015 Devon U15’s Squad . Whilst from the same festival the DPP coaches will identify around 20 players (probably also in the Devon Schools 60) that they would like to invite to training sessions prior to May.
As a safety net, to capture any player who didn’t take part in the Exmouth Festival, Devon Schools will be holding a Development Day on Thursday 30th October. Nominations for players to attend are via the Schools and Club’s, a letter will be going out this week. We don’t, repeat don’t expect to see any player nominated for both the Tuesday DPP Festival and the Thursday Devon Schools Development Day. This would be unfair (two bites at the cherry) and will be again increasing the pressure that is put on young player and raising the Devon Coaches workload. Because 130 players took part in the Exmouth U14 District Festival in2014, who will hopefully attending the Tuesday 28th Oct DPP Festival; we are assuming that will leave very few players eligible for the Devon Schools Development Day on the Thursday 30th Oct. Because of this, we predict to select no more than 10 for the Devon Schools Trial from the this Development Day.
This is an extract from last year letter:-
All Devon Schools are being contacted and requested to only nominate players perceived to be at County Standard to attend. To facilitate U15 Devon Club players attending non-rugby playing schools, each club in Devon will be asked if they have suitable players to also nominate them.
The process of selecting U15 from the Development Day to go forward for a Trial in early December only works if Devon Schools is not swamped with prospective nominations for U15 players who would have not been put forward, without reasonable expectation to succeed on selection into a Devon Side. Last year at Newton Abbot over 130 players attended the Development Day, that’s a large number of players, with only 65 players then going forward for the Trial.
Could each nomination be accompanied by the following data:-
Surname: First Names: Preferred position: Other positions: Date of Birth:
School: Club: RFU Registration No.
Name of Parent/s or Guardian/s: Home Address: Contact Telephone Number/s:
Any Present Injuries or Medical Conditions that can be disclosed to Devon Schools Rugby Football Union:
Why this player is being nominated:
Accompanying this Email/Letter is the Plan for the Development Day, could this be made available to each player being nominated. The process will be for each player to put into his positional group i.e. Front Row, 2nd Row, Back Row, Half Backs, Centres, and Back Three and train with this group. By rotating around the activities they achieve individual marks from each of the stances, from the different coaches. On completion of the day the Marks are tabulated to indicate those who should go through to the Final Trial. Those players who are not invited to the final trial will be able to request their scores; this will act as feedback because they can see the area’s which require more attention.
Regards
Mac Bayliss
Devon Districts Co-ordinator.