Level 2 Coaching Course conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby

Following the 'Level 1' coaching course aggregated and endorsed by 'World Rugby' which was conducted successfully recently, Sri Lanka Rugby went on to conduct the 'Level 2' coaching course with much success as well.

The 'Level 2' coaching course - developing Rugby skills, is for a Coach of a group or team of players, e.g. club youth coach, club coach, teacher, representative coach or a talent development coach. The course also requires competency-based assessment using formal transcript.

On successful completion of the course, the coach will be able to:

•           Identify technical and generic coaching skills

•          Self-reflect on own performance as a coach

•          Define the core values of Rugby Union

•         Develop a coaching and playing philosophy

•         Identify coaching methods/styles and apply to own practice

•          Use the principles of attack and defence to analyse the play of a team

•          Plan and review a cycle of 6 sessions.

•         Use key factors analysis as a tool for player improvement

•          Demonstrate safe coaching of individual and unit skills

•          Understand the concept of functional role analysis

•          Develop some criteria for selection

•          Discuss contemporary law issues

The coaching course requires a minimum of notional hours: 30 Pre-course work, 5 x 3 hour modules, 6 game diary and a live assessment visit. You have to be actively coaching a team, be over 18 years of age, complete self tests at: www.worldrugby.org/rugbyready and www.worldrugby.org/laws, and complete a 6 session diary.

This course is designed to provide coaches with the skills needed to coach teenage and adult players in the club or school environment (in major Unions), and to higher levels in less developed Unions. It aims to develop coaches who know 'how' to coach as well as 'what' to coach.

There were 15 well known current and past Rugby players, and current School coaches who attended the coaching course. Namely, Dinusha Chathuranga (Coach under 14 - Isipathana College), Thilina Thiwanka (St' Josephs College under 14 coach), Shehan Dias (Wesley College U-16 coach), Sajith Saranga (Isipathana College Under 10 & 12 coach), Prasad Madusanka (Isipathana U-16 coach), Banuka Nanayakkara (St' Peter's College under 20 Ass . coach), Bilal Hassen (The rugby School Academy), Rohitha Rajapaksha (Coach- Thurston College), Devinda Pathiranage (Coach Under 14 -Isipathana College), Sasanka Ariyarathne (Coach - Thurston College) , Anuradha Herath (Coach Under 10 & 12 - Isipathana College), Nalin Premalal (Coach - Zahira College), Samatha Dharmrathna (St' Peter's College Under 10 & 12 coach), Samitha Udugoda (Prince of Wales College Moratuwa - under 14/16), Hashan Gomes (Coach %u2013 Prince of Wales College) and Saliya Hadapangoda (Navy Sport club),

The coaching course was conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby together with Educators, Mr. Nihal Gunarathna and Mr. Sanath Martis, well recognized and prominent coaches in Sri Lanka. The practical coaching stint was conducted at the Torrington square grounds and the theory session was conducted at the Sri Lanka rugby office.

It was a very successful coaching course conducted over several days at different grounds in Colombo. Sri Lanka Rugby wishes all the participants best of luck for their future endeavors in Rugby coaching.