Local rugby has been developing from the grassroots level, thanks to the work done by groups like the Pelican Rugby Academy.
The national senior men’s team which was scheduled to battle Guyana last night at the Garrison Savannah included some young players who have burst into the fold recently and developed quickly.
Speaking at a recent press conference, national team coach Joe Whipple said this was due to the work of local academies.
“There’s a programme called the Pelican Rugby Academy, and I think they’ve done a good job and they’re developing it. So, you know, I’ve been a past president, and I’ve been in the rugby in the whole region for several years, and what counts in terms of young players is getting them to the Garrison, to the rugby pitch.
“So, if you have them in the schools and they never make it to the rugby pitch, have you really developed rugby? Not really. So Pelican Rugby’s been good. They’ve been able to get these players in there.”
Whipple said he was observing the academies and was able to select a group of up and coming 17-yearold players and took them to St Vincent to give them a test, a taste of what it is like to be around a national professional outlook.
“I thought they did well. So that’s what we’re trying to promote, and so those young guys behind them, they can see that, hey, there are opportunities to do that and play at a higher level.”
“And then, we’ll come up with a story probably in the next couple of weeks about one of our players who was on a full-ride scholarship to a private school in Canada, who’s likely going to sign in Nice, France – whereby if you want to make money in rugby, French rugby is the highest paying place.”
Whipple also stated that the women’s games continue to grow and noted the Scorpions Women’s team trains with the men’s national team.
“In preparation for Guyana, I think we had maybe eight women training with us, and they’ve improved a lot training with us, a lot. So, we’ve continued to do that.”
Determined drive
Barbados Rugby Union (BRU) public relations officer Kathie Daniel also pointed to the efforts made by Phoenix Women’s Rugby Club.
“They’re all women and they’re doing some good things as well. There’s been a very determined drive to raise interest, and that’s fine.
“But as far as I’m concerned, we need to focus on growth, and having, getting the young people in, getting the women in whatever age, that’s a step.
“But as Joe said, you have to have some place for them to go. It’s one thing to be running around, playing, and stuff. But I think if we can point out the opportunities, just earlier this year, Pelican Rugby Academy, which is the youth arm, hosted two clubs, two visiting clubs came in from overseas,” she said.
With those clubs and more showing interest in returning in the summer of 2027, Daniel believes that the BRU is rebuilding old relationships.
Daniel also said it is her dream to see a youth tournament for children at the secondary level return.
“We have had primary and secondary school tournaments in the past, down at the Garrison, and I remember we had, I think it was primary school, we had to have like playoffs, because we had like seven or eight teams coming in, but we had, at that point, we had a full-time coach going into the various schools.
“We’ve got a lot of potentially world-class athletes out there, we don’t even know it, so if we can get them going, the sky’s the limit.” (SW)
