SCRFC Minis

Just 1️⃣ more Summer Camp to go!

Join us next week for our final camp of the school holidays. It’s perfect for boys and girls from P3 to U15, and contains a mix of skill sessions and fun games. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have been playing for years, it’s a great way to have some fun in the sun this summer! ☀️

You can book in now for the whole week or individual days, whatever suits you best. Use the link below to book 👇🏼

🔗 https://form.jotform.com/Stirling_County/Youth-Camps-2026

🏉 The Minis Roadmap - Moving into P4 & P5

P4 and P5 are milestone years where the game starts to look a lot more like the rugby we see on TV! 📺✨

Under Scottish Rugby guidance, Stirling County Minis P4 and P5 squads focus on:

🔴 The Introduction of Contact: Yes, this is where tackling begins! Safety is our absolute, non-negotiable priority. Coaches spend weeks building up confident, safe tackle techniques, ensuring all contact is strictly waist and below

⚪ Building Game Structure: The kids move away from just chasing the ball and start learning about real game structure, positions, and defensive lines.

⚫️ Getting the Ball Wider: With a slightly larger pitch, players are coached to look for space, use their teammates, and pass the ball out wide to create exciting running rugby!

It’s an incredible stage of rugby where the kids truly grow as a team. They're able to play regular matches on Sundays if they wish and take part in festivals around the country.

Reaching P5 brings one of the absolute highlights of the County journey - the annual Minis Tour! Our P5, P6, and P7 squads head off together for a couple of nights away at an outdoor activity centre. Packed with team-building games, outdoor adventures, and a big rugby festival on the Sunday, they return home exhausted but happy just in time for the end-of-season awards ceremony. It is an unforgettable experience not to be missed!

If you have a child heading into P4 or 5 looking for something fun to do on a Saturday morning, where they can make friends, burn off some energy, and be part of an amazing community - there's a spot waiting for them at Stirling County! 🏉

✅ No prior rugby experience needed.
✅ Boys and girls welcome.
✅ Focus on teamwork and confidence.
✅ Great club atmosphere for parents.

The new season kicks off in August. Send us a message today to find out more or to secure a spot for a free trial! 📩

Say hello to Adam and Al!

These two have been coaching in our Minis section for a few years now, they've got one Minis tour under their belt and will be looking after the P6 squad next season.

We asked Adam and Al what it really takes to be a Minis coach, and here is what they had to say:

❓𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿?
Being able to tell who's offside without even looking!

❓𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝟵-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱?
Not really a rule, but just helping them make good decisions on the pitch - when to pass and when to run!

❓𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴?
Seeing a player do something cool that they didn't realise they were able to do!

A massive thank you for all your hard work Adam and Al - the P6s are in safe hands next year! 🙌

👉 If you think you might have what it takes to be a coach get in touch for more info - we're always looking for more volunteers! 📩

Micros (P1–P3) The 𝗙𝗨𝗡damentals

For our youngest players in P1, P2, and P3, rugby is all about the 3 Fs - Fun, Friends, and Fundamentals!

At this stage, we play Touch Rugby. There are no tackles, no scrums, and no rucks. Why?

✅ Confidence - Kids learn to run, dodge, and catch without the fear of being knocked over.
✅ Hand-Eye Coordination - Focus is on passing backwards and moving forward.
✅ Teamwork - Learning to stay in a line and work with their teammates.

It’s high-energy, non-stop moving, and the perfect way to fall in love with the game. 🏉✨

Once the kids reach P3 they get the chance to play in occasional matches against other local teams - nothing too serious but they love it and it's a great way to put their skills into practice.

If you have child going into P1-P3 in the next school year that you think might enjoy burning off some energy at Rugby training on Saturday mornings, we’d love to welcome them! We can arrange a free trial at the start of the season so they can give it a go before you commit to a membership. 📩 Send us a message to register your interest and find out more.

The season starts again in August.

🥺 Saying Goodbye to our P7 Minis! 🔴⚪⚫️

The minis rugby season wrapped up a few weeks ago now, but we want to say a massive thank you to our incredible P7 coaching team. Over the years, these coaches have given up countless hours to guide, support and develop this group into the fantastic players they are today. 🏉

So a huge thanks goes to Mark, Nick and Steve (in photo), Ross, Sean and Craig 👏

Next year, our brilliant P7 players will be off to high school and moving on to the next exciting chapter of their rugby journey in S1.

While we are incredibly sad to see them leave the Minis section, we couldn't be prouder of the team spirit and character they take with them. Thank you, coaches, for building such a strong foundation for these kids.

Wishing all our P7s the absolute best of luck as they step up.✨

😇 The Minis Coaches end of season night out started in the most civilised fashion...

Looking smart, sensible chat, a sociable drink.

We'll leave it there ... you can come to your own conclusions as to how the rest of the night ended up! 🤐

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗙𝗖 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽🏉

Ever wondered how the game changes as our players grow? At Stirling County, we follow the Scottish Rugby Age Grade guidance to ensure every child develops at the right pace, focusing on safety, skill, and - most importantly - fun!

The journey through Micros and Minis is a gradual build-up:

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗣𝟭-𝗣𝟯
It’s all about touch rugby, balance, and learning to run with the ball. The kids have heaps of fun and play lots of rugby related games.

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝟰 - 𝗣𝟱
The introduction of the tackle - learning to do it safely and confidently - waist and below. Safety is our absolute priority!

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝟲-𝗣𝟳
The game grows! The pitch gets bigger, the number of players on a side gets bigger and we add rucks, and uncontested scrums.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be breaking down what happens at each stage. Stay tuned! 🔴⚪⚫️

Dave took Blink up on the offer of a free contact lens trial 👀

He was looked after by Optom Laura, who did a fantastic job guiding him through the knack of inserting and removing the lenses. He’s been fitted with multifocal one-day lenses - including a toric lens to sort out his astigmatism (yes, Dave's eyes are officially shaped like rugby balls! 🏉).

It means he gets crystal-clear vision without the hassle of glasses. While it might not be something he wears every single day, Dave is officially converted and they will definitely be his go-to for when he's back out riding his bike! 🚴‍♂️

The care and expertise at Blink Opticians - Bridge of Allan are second to none. Check out the photos of Dave’s visit, and make sure to give Blink a shout for your next eye test!

🌐 Link to the Blink website in the comments below 👇

Dog walking and dog fouling

Over the years the club has been happy to allow dog walkers to enjoy the grounds open space and scenery at Bridgehaugh, it is one of the most scenic parts of Stirling. However, dog fouling has become an increasing worrying problem.

Over the past few years despite signage and litter bins been provided, an increasing amount of dog walkers are letting their dogs run loose across the pitches and failing to pick up after their dog. More worryingly when confronted, some dog walkers have become verbally abusive or ignore the request to pick up after their dog. This is totally unacceptable and the act of dog fouling is endangering our players.

A promising youth rugby player in Wales, Collin Smith, had his leg amputated after sustaining an injury during a match. The wound became severely infected with bacteria from dog faeces left on the pitch, preventing him from ever playing again after this selfish act by a dog walker not picking up after their dog. We have over 750 youths under 18 we do not want something like this to happen here.

Bridgehaugh is a designated sports and rugby park, it’s not an area for dog fouling. The lack of respect from some walkers and others who use this facility is unacceptable. If dog fouling or dogs out of control when off the lead continue, we will have no other option but to review limiting access to the grounds, which may lead to ultimately banning dog walking.

Please stay off the pitches and please pick up after your dog.