Abu Dhabi Saracens are continuing their pledge to invest in the players of tomorrow by picking two young mascots to help at Gulf Top Six home games this season.
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The Al Ghazal club’s youth development programme Little Ruckers is just over a year old and has really started to come of age this season, and the club thought it would give youngsters a real insight into their futures if they could get them involved on match days.
Little Ruckers’ head coach Will Walker and fellow grass roots rugby coach Steve Hamilton came up with the plan to get two kids each week involved with each of Sarries’ GT6 home games, helping out with ball duties, as well as being involved with the teams when they emerge onto the pitch before games and everything else in between.
During the games, the kids spend time with Will and Rupert Baird, being educated about the rules of rugby and delivering the balls to players for lineouts.
“It’s just another way to build up the family feel at Saracens and get everyone involved in this awesome season we’re having,” said Walker, who plays for the club’s second team and is also a school teacher.
“It’s an initiative we came up with for the GT6 games. Steve and I are trying to grow the Little Ruckers’ programme and trying to encourage more youngsters to join the Sarries’ family and this type of thing is a great inspiration for the kids, to see where the skills they’re learning in Little Ruckers can be transferred in years to come.
“Being involved on match days lets them know what they can aspire to be, a future Sarries player.”
After the Little Ruckers programme, Will hopes kids will then move onto the mini and junior academy Sarries are working hard to establish in order to breed future generations of Sarries players and help them compete alongside such strong junior programmes like Abu Dhabi Harlequins and Dubai Exiles and Hurricanes.
“It’s a hands on experience for the kids, immersing them in the action,” said Walker.
In addition to Little Ruckers, the club has just started a FS1 and FS2 programme for nursery age youngsters, which runs at Al Ghazal on Mondays and Wednesday from 16:30-17:25.
