Our children are the future of our sport and our Club. At Huddersfield Rugby Union Football Club we strive to make learning and playing fun in as safe and as professional a way that we can. It’s a long tradition at Huddersfield, longer than any other club in the UK, as we pioneered the principles and structure of junior rugby back in 1969.
We are very pleased to say many of our Age Grade players progress through the age levels into our senior squads. They’ve developed their skills, obtained health benefits and built friendships that can last a lifetime.
Download the Age Grade Handbook here.
The RFU defines a junior as someone under 18 and organises the rules and expectations of players according to age in an Age Grade structure that we follow. Girls can join in until they are 12 when the genders must separate and they can join one of our girl’s teams.
Fundamental to our principles are:
- Respect from players. We expect our junior members to respect the rules of the game, their coaches, referees, the ethics and rules of the club and behave accordingly. The Player Code of Conduct can be found here.
- Respect from parents. Age Grade players learn their behaviour from many sources these days although parents and guardians still have the key role. They too are expected to conduct themselves according to a code of conduct.
- Safeguarding. To ensure children have the best possible experiences and opportunities in rugby union, it is imperative that we provide a safe environment. All of our experienced coaches are DBS checked so that your child’s time with us is secure. We also have a dedicated Safeguarding officer in Katie Dewhurst she has prepared a Safeguarding Statement that you can read here. For the Club’s Safeguarding Policy go here. Please contact Katie if you have any matters to discuss.
- Commitment. Huddersfield RUFC is committed from the highest level to ensuring that all children within our care are, at all times, within a safe and caring environment. To achieve this, each Age Grade team has its own coach and manager who provide consistency and focus for their squad alone. They are supported by the Age Grade Committee lead by Tracy Davis. She is the voice of the Age Grade teams on the Management Committee overseeing all relevant matters including the Age Grade budget.
We have a framework that adapts its structure to enable the game to make a positive contribution to the development of our children as individuals, safeguards them and promotes their welfare but also protects all personnel from allegations of abuse or poor practice.
Training Times
U6 – U9s Sunday 10am – 11.30am
U10s Sunday 11.30am – 12.30pm and Wednesday 6pm – 7pm
U11s Sunday 11.30am – 12.30pm and Wednesday 6pm – 7pm
U12s Sunday 11.30am – 12.30pm and Wednesday 6.15pm – 7.15pm
U13s Sunday 11.30am – 12.30pm and Wednesday 6.30pm – 7.30pm
U14s Wednesday 6.30pm – 8pm
U15s Wednesday 7pm – 8pm
U16s Tuesday & Thursday 6.45pm – 8.30pm
Academy Thursday 6.45pm – 8.30pm
Games are played on Sundays.
Respect Barriers
An objective at HRUFC is to provide safer playing spaces for our Age Grade members and their visitors. As one step towards achieving objective is the recent installation of respect barriers around our Age Grade pitches by the Lockwood Volunteers and our ground staff.
In line with RFU guidance, their purpose is to protect both spectators and players from accidents and other incidents by limiting the proximity of spectators to the pitch.
Only match and team official may go pitch side of these barriers. Anyone not staying on the correct side of the barriers will be asked to move back and may be required to leave the playing area completely.
Registration and Membership
RFU Regulation 15 requires players to be registered annually online each season from U7’s upwards. HRUFC’s policy is to register all players, including U6’s even though there is no requirement to formally register.
We do this on a weekend at the start of the new season. This enables everyone to renew friendships, meet and talk with their team coaches and ask any questions they may have.
1 . Register your child on the RFU Game Management System (GMS). You will either need to login to your existing RFU account if you are renewing or register a new account if you are registering for the first time. You will need to register your child as a player to Huddersfield RUFC. There is a link here to explain how to do this.
2.Download your membership form below and return to gm@huddersfieldrugby.com
3. Make payment by calling the office on 01484 469801 or clicking on one of the links below.
Download the membership form for 2023/24 season here
| Membership category | Price | Monthly Payment link | Annual Payment link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Grade 1 Member (1 parent, 1 child) | £110 | GoCardless | GoCardless |
| Age Grade 2 (1 parent, 2 child) | £150 | GoCardless | GoCardless |
Kit
As with any sport players need specific kit. We ask that ask of our Age Grade players have rugby boots, socks, shorts, shirt, mouth guard and water bottle.
Players are expected to wear full club kit for fixture with other clubs. Club kit does not have to be worn for training, other kit can be worn.
All official club kit can be bought from our suppliers O’Neill’s via this link.
Please be aware that it can get very cold in winter. Players should wear plenty of layers to ensure that they can remain warm during sessions.
Wearing layers also means that players can discard items as they warm up and put them on again as they cool down. Please note that, as a safety measure, training tops should be without zips.
MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PIECE OF YOUR CHILD’S KIT IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.
For our advice and recommendations about items of kit please follow the links:
NO PLAYER WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE CLUBHOUSE IN RUGBY BOOTS OR SOILED RUGBY CLOTHING
Your Commitment
The commitment of Players their Parents and Guardians is fundamental to a successful and enjoyable rugby experience. are expected to adhere to the Club’s codes and Policies as well as supporting their coaches by following England Rugby’s Values.
Codes of Conduct
We ask all parents and guardians to refresh their awareness of our Codes of Conduct. They are there to encourage you and your children enjoy the great sport of rugby in a safe and healthy manner.
For contact details of Club Officers and Management go to Contact Us.
Training – General Points
Is always advisable to check with the age group manager before your first visit or at the start of the season. Every Age Grade team has its own page on the HRUFC website where you can find more details.
The duration of the training sessions and formats is tailored to suit the current development abilities of each Age Grade team. A full list of Age Grade times is below.
Younger Age Grade teams do not usually hold mid-week training to allow participation in other sports and school commitments.
Our younger teams play no fixtures in the first four weeks of the season to ensure that all players are familiar with the rules of play and have the appropriate skills.
Training for older Age Grade teams is on Sunday, unless there are fixtures to be played, plus mid-week sessions run by their team’s coaches.
Older Age Grade teams play fixtures from week 2 of the season and players may be expected to attend pre-season training to ensure appropriate levels of fitness and skill.
Fixtures are arranged by the Age Grade Fixture Secretary. Age Grade Managers will then distribute them to the relevant teams.
Get Involved
We have amazing volunteers, but we can always do with more. So, if you can help in anyway be it coaching, refereeing, managing, helping at social events or fundraising please let us know.
Just speak to any of the volunteers you see at the club.
Transport
It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to transport their child to and from the club or meeting point. Should parents make transport arrangements between themselves this is a private arrangement and will not be covered by the clubs’ safeguarding procedure.
PLEASE DO NOT BE LATE WHEN COLLECTING YOUR CHILD.
It is not the coaches’ responsibility to take care of your child once the session has finished. Should this happen the club Safeguarding Officer will be contacted and the parent will be reminded of their responsibility to collect their child promptly.
PARKING must only be in designated areas. Make sure that emergency access to all playing and training areas clear at all times.
NO VEHICLES ARE TO BE BROUGHT PAST THE AGE GRADE CAR PARK.
Parents are asked to be particularly vigilant when manoeuvering cars as there is a greater potential for accidents when large numbers of children are around.
First Aid
In the event of an injury, the age group first aider will provide initial pitch side assistance.
It is then the responsibility of the parent or guardian or, in their absence, team officials, to decide if further medical help is required.
At HRUFC all our age Grade groups have trained volunteers that have been advised how to treat common injuries and some rugby specific injuries such as concussion. They carry and RFU standard issue medical kit which will be pitch side for all matches and training sessions.
Concussion protocols MUST be followed and any suspicion of concussion will result in a player being removed from training or play.
Players MUST follow the RFU use return to play pathway with a minimum of 23 days exclusion from play.
It is the parent’s or guardian’s responsibility to seek further medical advice regarding injury.
PLEASE NOTE: HRUFC warmly welcomes all visitors to our facilities. In order to keep the club house clean can we remind our visitors that players MUST bring a change of clothes in order to access the bar and food areas. Players in dirty match gear will be refused access to the bar and catering facilities.
Can we also remind our visitors that DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED on any of our pitches. This represents a health risk to all players and Age Grade in particular.
You must return your dog to your car if asked to do so. If you do not comply then you will be reported to the Management Committee who may impose further sanctions.
We hope that you agree these two requests will make your visit to our club more comfortable and enjoyable.
