U7's Weybridge Floodlit Festival

Friday night after picking kids up from school, what could be more fun than heading up the M3 and around the M25 to Weybridge at five o'clock at night? Sounds like an horrendous idea, but actually with very little traffic, bright blue skies and a few games of rugby to play, it was absolutely brilliant!!
We were a little concerned that after their first week back at school, the teams would be far too tired to play many games. They did though, and as ever in between matches they kept making up their own games and playing as the sun set across the pitches.

So what is this Floodlit festival all about? it's like Hammerite, exactly what it says on the tin!! We put two teams together (with the help from some great Weybridge players filling our gaps) and played in a mini festival spread over a couple of pitches. As the sun began to set, the floodlights were turned on and we finished our last few matches on floodlit fields. It was an amazing atmosphere and very different to what the children had experienced before, add to that a beer festival and bbq, live band and glowsticks and it ended as a great event. The weather helped and all the children and parents alike could enjoy a very warm evening enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and social that comes with being a real part of a rugby club.

So how did we get on; this is a match report after all... really well, the Weybridge Vandals have some very good players and teams, and really challenged Camberley in some games, a little guidance from the coaches at half time though on what to change slightly and the boys took it on board and showed their real rugby ability, all of the practice sessions of passing the balls when moving, and running in support, coming through the channel behind the tagged player showed in these games, and the team work and respect of everybody on their teams (including the Weybridge players who stepped in) was excellent.
Our defensive work and movement on the pitch is fascinating, considering this is the first year the boys have played in competitions, and the challenges we had at the start of the season with keeping spaces, not bunching around the ball area, coming up together and getting back behind the ball after a tag has been made or when our player has gone backwards, is a thing of the past. We drifted across the pitch to manage the gaps, came up and took the pressure onto the other team, forcing rushed passes or runs into touch, and the reaction as soon as those balls hit the ground to scoop the ball and go straight was amazing. All of the kids had a great time and considering this is late for six and seven year olds and having completed a week at school, they were like Duracell bunnies who just seem to keep going.
Our final match pulled the two teams together and we played a round robin of Vandals teams. Cut abruptly short by the lack of fifty pence for the meter, we were plunged into darkness and the matches were finished off, with everybody coming together to celebrate the success of the evening.

We did find a new pastime though, chasing the bugs that are drawn to floodlights, we are considering this as a training session for next season, if I could engage as many kids in my sessions as chasing flies in the floodlights....

A huge shout out to @WeybridgeVandalsRFC U7's, we were made to feel really welcome, a great environment and a great event. Be sure to put us down for next years U8's festival.... we may be in a minibus though so start drawing straws parents to see who the lucky driver is....