Youth and Junior rugby come try event

The Foothills Lions Rugby Football Club (RFC) are holding a "Come Try Rugby" for ages 6-18 event on Wednesday (April 10) at the Cavalry Field House in Aldersyde from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will run if it's rain or shine as the Cavalry Field House is indoors, Phil Harworth, Treasurer of the Foothills Lions RFC explained. 

"This event is at the Field House on April the 10th from 6:30 and 7:30, indoors. It's going to be warm. All you need to do is come with an open mind and start having fun," Harworth said.

Harworth said the event is aimed at kids who have yet to try the sport and want to give it a go with the raising popularity of Rugby.

"This try Rugby event is for people who are the ages from 6-18, who have never played rugby at all. They have probably seen it on TV, last year was a big rugby World Cup. We are a local club in the Foothills, the intent is at the Cavalry Field House to get people to pick up a ball, start passing the ball, a little bit of instruction, and it's the old adage for rugby is run, pass, catch," he said.

"It's a great sport, it's hand-eye coordination, individual skill but also a team sport. One of the fastest growing sports in North America is rugby for girls and women."

Harworth added that they have had women athletes make the Rugby Canada team and also venture into the sport at the University level.

"A lot of the Ivy League schools have really good programs, but there are programs all up and down Canada and the USA."

Harworth was born and grew up in Whales, he started to play the game at around the age of eight-years-old after he picked up the ball for the first time and his passion grew.

The Foothills Lions RFC hope that this event will bring new eyes to the sport, have kids join and enjoy the sport enough to attempt to bring them in to one of their minor league teams.

"The try Rugby is to get people through the door and pick up the ball. Have a little idea of what's going on, it can be quite daunting when you first look at it and all the laws and regulations. You don't really need to understand that right away, you just need to pick up the ball and pass it to somebody," Harworth said.

"Not at this event, but as we go through the training in the season, we teach people how to tackle and how to take a tackle."

A reason Harworth really enjoys the game of rugby is that during his time in the UK he said rugby teams would play hard against each other, and have heated games, but when the games finished many people from both teams meet up, share a drink and some conversations.

This is a free event, if you have a mouth guard you are encouraged to bring them, and balls will be made available. Harworth also mentioned to bring some water because there will be plenty of breaks to rehydrate.