The annual Ards Rugby Club Youth Player’s Awards presentations were held at Hamilton Park on Saturday 18th May, Ulster Branch President and fellow Ards man Robin Cole presented this season’s awards.
CLICK HERE for the pictures
Players from the Under 15’s, Under 17’s and Under 19’s met at the clubhouse in the afternoon and played an in-house 7’s competition amongst themselves (even the pouring rain couldn’t stop them).
After their 7’s competition the Player’s and their Parent’s then moved out of the rain and into the clubhouse for food and refreshments.
Head of Youth Rugby at Ards, Dayle Jones, then formalised proceedings and provided his end of season report for the youth section and outlined the seasons successes in particular the Under 15’s led by coach Ricky Sadler and the continuing development of youth players at Ards gaining recognition by being called into Ulster development squads (Ben Orr, Oliver Glenn, Benji Marsh, Alex Gaw & Matthew Warnock).
Dayle outlined the future the development of Youth Rugby at Ards with the announcement of up to 4 new coaches coming on board for the incoming season and the potential of a new corporate sponsor of Youth Rugby at Ards.
Ards Rugby Club continues to be the only local club to have a Youth system which operates throughout the whole season, providing rugby coaching, strength and conditioning development (age restricted), lifestyle awareness, teamwork, camaraderie, loyalty and a social scene for 11 – 19yrs old.
Youth rugby thrives at Ards and is a conveyor belt for future All Ireland League players for Ards RFC; last season 15 out of the starting squad of 20 players for the 1st XV had came through either the Youth or Mini sections at Ards Rugby Club.
Awards winners were as follows:
Under 15
Player’s Player of Year – Alex GAW
Coaches Player of Year – Conor Uprichard
Under 17
Player’s Player of Year – Ben Orr
Coaches Player of Year – Oliver Glenn
Under 19
Player’s Player of Year – Jordan Montgomery
Coaches Player of Year – Jack Matthew’s
Winner of the Barry Brewster Under 20 Player of Year – Jack Matthews
Youth Player of Year donated by Gary Orr and The Orr family – Adam Carroll
