Junior rugby based on weight classes

[southsider]

) It is the perception of safety to potential and existing players and parents, especially as concerns about concussion are rising

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Youve highlighted the problem right there, it's a perception that kids will get injured, not a reality. Sydney juniors should try to educate parents that the dangers of plus size kids playing in young age groups are really really small.

 

[stoff]

Youve highlighted the problem right there, it's a perception that kids will get injured, not a reality. Sydney juniors should try to educate parents that the dangers of plus size kids playing in young age groups are really really small.

I see your point, but if we are trying to grow the game, educating parents who are in the tent is only part of the task. Much harder to educate those outside the tent, and that is where perception is everything. Also the one plus size guy is less the problem than the small size guy.


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[One eyed pirate]

Youve highlighted the problem right there, it's a perception that kids will get injured, not a reality. Sydney juniors should try to educate parents that the dangers of plus size kids playing in young age groups are really really small.

Have you heard the phrase, 'perception is reality'. Again your view and others that have that view, leads to no change because your suggestion is impossible, although I agree that the sydney junior rugby assoc could be doing more. Picture this pitch to kids and parents, 'come play rugby.....we are now grading by weight so rugby is truly a sport for all shapes and sizes'. Not only are existing players better off and happier but rego numbers increase.


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[One eyed pirate]

I see your point, but if we are trying to grow the game, educating parents who are in the tent is only part of the task. Much harder to educate those outside the tent, and that is where perception is everything. Also the one plus size guy is less the problem than the small size guy.


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Yes, more kids would regrade down than regrade up.


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[southsider]

Have you heard the phrase, 'perception is reality'. Again your view and others that have that view, leads to no change because your suggestion is impossible, although I agree that the sydney junior rugby assoc could be doing more. Picture this pitch to kids and parents, 'come play rugby...we are now grading by weight so rugby is truly a sport for all shapes and sizes'. Not only are existing players better off and happier but rego numbers increase.


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Yep it's a horrible saying that has many many holes in it

If we do go this whole grading by size thing we either go

1) chuck a couple of year groups together to get enough kids for a few different weight classes then you encounter problems with skill levels, maturity levels etc etc

2) you go with parameters for each age group and if you don't fall within those you can move up and down. Except that's exactly what you can do now, if mumma and pappa from the north shore are worried about little jimmy playing against a big scary islander they can call up Sydney juniors, they'll send someone down and look at him then regrade him to a younger age group.

 

[I like to watch]

You can demean little jimmy for not wanting to play big scary islanders, or you can be proactive and try and remove barriers to parents thinking about playing the sport.

You over complicate the grading process.
If you have 100 kids, you have 100 kids. For every 12yo that has to play up, there will be an 11 yo that also plays up in the 12's.
Zero sum game.

 

[southsider]

You can demean little jimmy for not wanting to play big scary islanders, or you can be proactive and try and remove barriers to parents thinking about playing the sport.

You over complicate the grading process.
If you have 100 kids, you have 100 kids. For every 12yo that has to play up, there will be an 11 yo that also plays up in the 12's.
Zero sum game.

I'm not demeaning, but if jimmy or his parents have a problem it is THEIR problem, don't make your issue everyone else's. If jimmy is too small he moves to another grade, not the big kid, because the majority of parents and kids don't care about the big kid being there.

It's a complicated thing you're suggesting, one club could have a team with a bigger than average front row, boom grading happens they all go up and suddenly they don't have a front row, the the team below has all normal sized kids so none of them qualify/want to move up. Works well doesn't it

Look at what happened to the poor kid last weekend, no longer playing because of other people's issues is that just as bad, if not worse than a small kid not playing because of getting belted by bigger kids? And don't come back with "if he was graded in weight we wouldn't have this problem" if that kid was graded on weight he'd probably end up in the u12's and then we'd have the problems I've outlined previously. Moving him up from the u8's to the u9's wouldn't have done crap

 

[I like to watch]

It's not making it everyone's problem.
A small percentage of kids go down,and a small percentage of kids play up.
The vast majority don't move.

People copping it quietly, is not the same as people not being bothered by the physical mismatches at all.

And perception is reality, it undoubtedly has a negative effect on participation numbers.

 

[southsider]

It's not making it everyone's problem.
A small percentage of kids go down,and a small percentage of kids play up.
The vast majority don't move.

People copping it quietly, is not the same as people not being bothered by the physical mismatches at all.

And perception is reality, it undoubtedly has a negative effect on participation numbers.

Agree to disagree then

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Have you heard the phrase, 'perception is reality'. Again your view and others that have that view, leads to no change because your suggestion is impossible, although I agree that the sydney junior rugby assoc could be doing more. Picture this pitch to kids and parents, 'come play rugby...we are now grading by weight so rugby is truly a sport for all shapes and sizes'. Not only are existing players better off and happier but rego numbers increase.





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Within reason....do you put the unfortunate yr 7 Canterbury league kid with 12 year olds or be more careful and only promote to sensible level based on cognitive and general development maturity.....we are talking about kids for Christsake.......

 

[One eyed pirate]

Within reason..do you put the unfortunate yr 7 Canterbury league kid with 12 year olds or be more careful and only promote to sensible level based on cognitive and general development maturity...we are talking about kids for Christsake...

Unfortunately too many people think like you. The answer is in the chart. If this was followed that incident doesn't happen.


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[One eyed pirate]

https://www.wrfu.co.nz/fileadmin/Junior_Rugby/2017_Weights___Grade_Chart.pdf


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[southsider]

Unfortunately too many people think like you. The answer is in the chart. If this was followed that incident doesn't happen.


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Unfortunately another emotional response from a north shore parent

We follow that chart and that kid ends up in u11's at a bear minimum, maybe even higher depending on how much he actually weighs

 

[I like to watch]

Unfortunately another emotional response from a north shore parent

We follow that chart and that kid ends up in u11's at a bear minimum, maybe even higher depending on how much he actually weighs

Read the chart again.
It requires huge kids to play up 2 age groups max.

 

[southsider]

Read the chart again.
It requires huge kids to play up 2 age groups max.

Fair that's my bad didn't read it properly.

But still that's two whole age groups, the skill discrepancy is massive there while he'd still be huge in stature even for that age group

 

[southsider]

Interestingly also saw on Facebook* from a parent in the league say the kid has only scored 4 try's all season, probably not as damaging a player as that one video makes him out to be

*obviously not a great source so take it how you want

 

[Rugbynutter39]

https://www.wrfu.co.nz/fileadmin/Junior_Rugby/2017_Weights___Grade_Chart.pdf





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Cool makes sense - but yes not adopted in oz....?

 

[One eyed pirate]

Unfortunately another emotional response from a north shore parent

We follow that chart and that kid ends up in u11's at a bear minimum, maybe even higher depending on how much he actually weighs

Yes, emotional because I care about a sport I love going down the toilet. No, not a north shore parent.
I fear for the sport I love because there are too many people with that view, which leads to doing nothing.


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[One eyed pirate]

Another set back.....http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-05/pre-teens-most-likely-to-suffer-concussion-study/8774998
Do something soon....please.....or just keep talking about for another decade


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[p.Tah]

Another set back...http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-05/pre-teens-most-likely-to-suffer-concussion-study/8774998
Do something soon..please...or just keep talking about for another decade

Why is this set a back?
This is not unique to rugby. It occurs in RL and AFL. What is good is that we are discussing concussion, getting better at recognising it and looking after the kids.