The Bermuda Rugby Football Union has begun a major focus on coach development as part of its commitment to creating better rugby experiences across the island.

Coach Development Month opened with a World Rugby Level 1 coaching course on Sunday, bringing together an encouraging mixture of first-time coaches, experienced club coaches and people who have been involved at international level.

The theory section of the course was held at The Botanist in the Botanical Gardens, before participants moved to North Field, National Sports Centre, for the practical aspect.

Jason Hendrie, the BRFU rugby operations director, educated the 16 participants alongside Jonathan Cassidy, the union’s former director of sevens rugby.

The course included theory, discussion and practical coaching, allowing participants to develop their knowledge while learning from one another’s experiences.

“Qualifications are important, but coach development cannot stop when someone completes a course,” Hendrie said.

“As a union, we want to run more of these courses and provide regular opportunities to upskill as many coaches as possible.

“We want people to leave with practical ideas they can take back into their schools, clubs and programmes.

“We also want to build a community of coaches who feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions and learning from one another.”

Hendrie highlighted that organising regular coach education opportunities in Bermuda is not always straightforward, with the BRFU having no dedicated rugby pitch or indoor teaching facility of its own.

“One of the challenges we face is not having a permanent home where we can consistently deliver the theory and practical elements of these courses,” he said.

“That can make planning difficult, particularly when the weather changes, but it will not stop us from trying to create more opportunities for our coaches.”

What stood out from the opening two days was the involvement of talented Bermuda youth player Cillian McGlyn, who signed up for the Level 1 course and began taking his first steps into coaching.

“It was brilliant to see someone as young as Cillian getting involved,” the BRFU director said.

“He is one of our talented youth players, but he is now also beginning to look at the game through the eyes of a coach.

“That is exactly what we want to encourage. Our young players can become our future coaches, referees, volunteers and rugby leaders.

“World Rugby Level 1 coaching opportunities will also be offered to senior pupils in Bermuda’s schools as part of a new Rugby Leadership Pathway.

“The pathway will give young people the chance to gain recognised qualifications, develop their confidence and leadership skills and gain practical experience supporting rugby activities in schools and the wider community.”

Hendrie thanked The Botanist for supporting the course and providing an excellent environment for participants to learn and share ideas.

“Having the right learning environment makes a huge difference, and we are very grateful for their support,” he said.

A day after the Level 1 course, coaches gathered for the first workshop introducing the Bermuda Blueprint — a new framework designed to create a more connected approach to how rugby is coached and played across the island.

According to the BRFU, the blueprint is not a rigid playing structure or a collection of compulsory drills. Instead, it provides coaches and players with a common language and a clear set of principles that can be introduced throughout Bermuda’s rugby pathway.

“We do not want to remove the individuality or creativity of our coaches,” Hendrie said.

“The blueprint is there to give us a shared direction. Coaches will still need to understand their players and adapt what they do, but there should be some key messages that remain familiar as a player moves between school, club and national programmes.”

“It also recognises that everyone has a role to play. Coaches develop the person and the player, parents support effort and enjoyment, clubs and schools create belonging and regular opportunities and the BRFU provides direction, education and a connected pathway.

Further practical workshops will take place throughout September, covering contact confidence, creative attack and session design.

“The blueprint cannot just be a document that sits on a laptop or gets presented once and then forgotten about,” Hendrie said.

“Our September workshops will help coaches understand how its principles can influence their session design and how they can create active, enjoyable and challenging environments for their players.

“The workshops will also give coaches the opportunity to try things, ask questions and share ideas. That is how the Blueprint will genuinely come to life across Bermuda rugby.”

“This is a starting point rather than a finished product,” Hendrie said.

“It has to work for Bermuda and be useful to the people coaching on the field. The involvement and feedback of our coaches will be essential as we continue to develop it.

“The overall objective is to create more qualified and confident coaches, provide better experiences for players and build a sustainable coaching and leadership pathway for the future of Bermuda rugby.”