By Frank Stormont
August 30 2009

Plymouth Albion Ladies have appointed a new coach to help put them into contention for promotion into the Premiership. Andy Demaine agreed to take on the role after a training session this week.  

Professor Demaine on board!

Plymouth Albion Ladies have appointed a new coach to help put them into contention for promotion into the Premiership. Andy Demaine agreed to take on the role after a training session this week.

Andy will be the ladies 4th coach in 5 years but both sides will be hoping that this relationship will last a while. He got involved with rugby when his daughter began to play 10 years ago and has already gained a level two coaching award. With this new challenge he will be looking at taking his qualifications to level three, the highest available in domestic rugby.

Level three is a lot more analysis of players long term development – positional profiling in a lot more depth. Analysing their skill set and are they really suited to play in particular positions. The approach to coaching is very much more player led. The old days of the coach standing on the sidelines shouting ' do this' ' do that' is out. It is very much empowering the players giving them the responsibility to get out there and play their game not my game.

Dave has been involved at Liskeard and Looe mini juniors, Leopards, Cornwall under 18 set-up and Southwest South. And last year he took a group of year 7s from Liskeard Community School through the recently introduced school competition all the way to the Twickenham final. Most of these girls had not played rugby before and are now part of the Leopards set-up in Liskeard.

Working at the Peninsular Medical School in Plymouth as a Professor in medical science and as well teaching is researching into Diabetic Kidney Disease. With his whole family now involved in rugby Dave is very excited to be appointed. “It is an honour to be coaching such a good outfit as Plymouth Albion Ladies.”

You have a bunch of very talented players and the answers are there, they probably know more about rugby than I do, it is getting them to open up and talk about it and realise that they have a wealth of knowledge there and they can use that to help each other.

When asked what he expects from the team he replied "Great things, great ambitions to climb up into the Premiership. I understand Bath Ladies are their competitors and I would like to that at the end of the season we are there at the top banging on the door." He has discussed with the team and agreed  aims and objectives of creating a second team in the club to feed through to the first team. This would new players, younger players and maybe ladies that just want come out and play contact rugby.

Andy does not put himself in the old coach mould but sees himself as a facilitator wanting to generate the environment where individuals are challenged, ” we can challenge each other, rather than being coach directed. Improving things in a less threading way, leading them to find the answer. Its a two way thing I want to empower them and make them realise that they have to take responsibility and give them the confidence to do that. This empowering is not that different from what we do at the Peninsular School with the trainee doctors.” 

"I want to generating the environment where they can be challenged with questions and answer sessions, we can challenge each other, rather than being coach directed. I just see myself as a facilitator, making sure that what they are doing is what they should be. Putting things right in a less threading way, leading them along to find the right answer. If they can’t find the answers then you step in, or get the other players to help.

"When you have that environment right then you have a very strong ethos to move it forward. You don’t need drills, you don’t need line out calls just play.   When they are on the pitch then you have the bonding to help each other."

Club captains Sonia Clatworthy and Jo Holding, speaking on behalf of the club said that they were delighted to make the appointment and are looking forward to the challenges that this will involve. “It was good first session getting too know each other. We are delighted to get a coach onboard, looking forward to the season ahead. We hope to get a few season fixtures up and running and we can go from there. Andy does not know any of us so we will all need to impress him if we are going to be selected” 

The club are looking for new members at all levels anyone interested should contact Jo on 07710 208 782.

Ladies have hooked a coach

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 30/08/2009 00:10

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
30/08/2009 00:10

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009:09:07:21:25:16 by Frank S.

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Cider Drinker
30/08/2009 08:25

well done - good luck for the comming season



Don't let anything get in the way of a good game of Rugby

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noibla
30/08/2009 15:25

Congrats Vee, so glad you have got what you wanted for the coming season, I like what he says as well it makes sense to me with more creative thinking from the girls turning into more creative playing on the pitch and more personnel responsibility as a result.

Question, has Toms girlfriend, can't remember her name, moved on ?

Semper Sersum.

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Frank S
30/08/2009 21:04

Rachel Tucker now Hayes is stil match day captain. She was just not around on Tuesady evening.

Always forwards never backwards!

Albi Albi Albi

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noibla
03/09/2009 09:13

Thanks for that Frank. She'a a good player and I wondered if she was still playing for Albion, great. Well done Mrs Hayes.

And good luck Andy, hope you all have a great season this year.

Semper Sersum.

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