Scarborough & District Schools Sports Association
A big thank you to the Scarborough & District Schools Sports Association for the invitation to attend their AGM and 2025–2026 planning meeting.
It was fantastic to be part of so many productive discussions—not just about Rugby Development but all school sporting achievements in Ryedale and across the district as a whole.
Rugby offerings, the SDSSA for short currently only put on two boys' rugby festivals per age group are held each academic year.
We're pleased these will continue next year at both Silver Royd and The Gannock. Excitingly, there are early conversations underway to reintroduce a district 15-a-side tournament, with finals potentially taking place in April.
The long-term goal of thiers is to establish a schools representative team that could play against other rep teams if more school districts follow our lead or initially focus on independent schools. We understand logistically this maybe a stretch but goals are made to be achieved.
Competitive state school rugby development in the Scarborough & District is not only beneficial for us but looking at schools catchment areas, clubs such as Bridlington RUFC, Driffield RUFC, Guisborough RUFC, Scarborough RUFC, Thirsk RUFC, Whitby RUFC & York RUFC all stand to benefit.
We’re also excited to announce two flexible T1 ‘Pitch Up and Play’ events for girls at Malton & Norton RUFC, these events we're perviously held at the Gannock as contact PUP's something we would look to build towards again.
These will use RFU T1 resources, supported by local clubs and in-school coaching. For all schools and anyone wanting to start a greater rugby school pathway, RFU T1 resources 6 super easy, super fun, one hour lessons mapped out and loads of coaching ideas on YouTube: @EnglandRugbyGameDevelopment
Links - T1 Landing Page and Downloadable links
Youtube England Rugby Game Development
Idea: The Derwent Varsity
Who would like to see a true inter-town rivalry come to life?
Malton School vs Norton College
🏆 The Derwent Varsity Rugby Cup 🏆
- Year 7 – 12-a-side, 40 mins
- Year 8 – 13-a-side, 50 mins
- Year 9 – 15-a-side, 60 mins
- Year 10 – 15-a-side, 60 mins
- Year 11 – 15-a-side, 60 mins
Five points are available from the five matches– the winning school takes home the trophy!
Boys to start with but long term vision to start incorporating girls rugby games…
Could this provide a meaningful, year-on-year rugby development for students in both towns.
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Malton Rugby Academy Updates
Kit is ordered. Just look at chatGPT mock up of it.
Fixtures for the Malton Rugby Academy have just been released—I'll share them in the coming days. We’re straight into action with the Continental Cup Vase fixture on 10th September (opponent to be confirmed) followed by Gateshead College away on the 17th September. Fixtures will be flexible due to other school commitments but anyone joining Sixth Form and the Academy is encouraged to join us at The Gannock over summer for the Colts preseason and rugby development.
Strength & Conditioning (S&C)
Had a great discussion with Strength Circus about S&C support for our Colts, U18 Girls, and Academy players. We’re working on an affordable gym package for 16 & 17 year olds, including potential access to their online coaching platform, a real incentive to play Colts & Rugby in School.
The Malton Sixth Form S&C session on Friday afternoons will continue in September, open to all Sixth Formers, with priority for Academy students.
Club Resources
Finally, we’re excited to have receive the first hard copies of both our Foundation Framework Booklet and the new Whole Game Structure Booklet. We're planning to print these in A5 format for use by coaches and players both in club and in school digital copies are available on request.
Also couldn’t find a SDSSA high res logo so I loosely copied a fuzzy one.
Cheers
Feathers
