With the sport of rugby exploding across the globe, SMUS is pleased to host University of Victoria men's rugby head coach Scott Manning as he leads a week-long overnight (or day) boys rugby camp from August 11-16. Youth aged 13-17 will be immersed into a rugby academy style environment with high performance coaches and live and train on the Richmond Road campus.
Rugby Camp Registration
- Dates: August 11-16, 2024
- Participants: boys age 13-17
- Fees: $475 (Day only Aug 12-16), $1,600 (international), $1,100 (domestic)
- Registration: Online
The Benefits of Overnight Camps
The Manning-led camp will be the first overnight rugby camp to join the robust suite of youth camps hosted at SMUS. Rugby becomes just the second sports overnight camp following the always-popular overnight volleyball camp, while Rising Leaders, Byte Camp U, Music Explorations and Campus Life overnight camps are also taking place throughout the summer.
“The overnight rugby camp at SMUS offers a comprehensive growth experience for young athletes, combining sports, education, and personal development in a supportive and structured environment," described SMUS Camps Director, Craig Kelley, who spear-headed bringing rugby to the camps fold. "It's a natural fit. SMUS has a long-standing tradition of rugby excellence, and we aim to support the growth of the sport for youth in BC."
It's also a natural fit for UVic's Manning, whose Vikes program has a long tradition of successful SMUS grads who also went on to play for Canada including Gareth Rees ('85), Ed Fairhurst ('97), Mike Fualifau ('10) and Luke McCloskey ('10).
“Rugby is about more than just on the field, and we are hoping to challenge the athletes to think about different questions that can help them to build their toolbox as people, as well as players. We’re going to look to expand the skillsets of everyone, but do it in a way where they understand how to implement those skill sets into actual games,” coach Manning explained.
“The overnight camp will allow the campers more opportunity to really engage with their peers in a new and exciting environment. The social aspect is so important, and there couldn’t be a better venue to spend a week at in August.”
The boarding houses on the SMUS campus are built to host a community of youth that fosters communication and collaboration, which are key for rugby players individually, and as a team. Forming close bonds off the field translates to better teamwork on the field, setting this camp apart from the typical daytime training camp.
Specializing in Youth Rugby Excellence
To elevate their experience, the camp will feature a number of coaches with international rugby experience, such as Rugby World Hall of Famer and SMUS grad Gareth Rees, and Gainlane Sport Coaching’s own Aaron Takel. Along with tactically-themed camp days to guide the focus, athletes will be able to receive regular personalized feedback to better their gameplay with a 3:1 player to coach ratio.
“The athletes are also going to have access to more than eight high quality coaches," added Manning. "Russel Earnshaw, co-founder of the Magic Academy, will also be with us from the United Kingdom for the entire week adding tons of energy, laughs, and a wealth of rugby knowledge. Two of the coaches helping me this week, Matthew Bennett ('23) and Carter Haddow ('23), are recent SMUS grads and current rugby players at UVic.”
In addition to their current athletic success, both Matthew and Carter were named to several national selection teams and training camps during the U18 careers, giving them lived experiences to help mentor the 13-16 year old campers.
During his Grade 12 year at SMUS, Carter was a confident co-captain of the Senior Boys Rugby Team alongside Matthew.
“I love that I am able to bring back knowledge to a diverse group of students from a variety of schools to be coached alongside their potential university coaches and teammates, while experiencing the beautiful campus and training grounds where I developed every day," said Matthew reflecting on his SMUS experience. "I felt confident to grow as an athlete as I was pushed hard by coaches with trustful resumes. Having a coach with professional experience, I was able to learn unique and knowledgeable concepts that better prepared me to play after high school.”
Similarly, Matthew has experienced the impact that becoming a knowledgeable player can make on your rugby game, long after the camp itself.
“This overnight camp will provide an idea of what high- level coaching looks like, and will be good for building a platform for players on what it takes to go to the next level,” he shared. “Playing Rugby at SMUS has helped prepare me for the competitiveness and hard work that comes with playing at varsity level.”
Preparing Athletes for Long-Term Success
For coach Manning, the camp is about setting up young rugby players for success on and off the field, in high school and in their future careers: “I think it is important for middle and high school players to see that there is lots of possibility to continue to play once they leave high school. Varsity rugby is just one of the options.”
“The players can expect to leave camp with a love of the game and the values that come with it. My personal coaching values are Joy, Care, and Competition, so a successful camp for me would be one where the athletes left with a smile on their face, they’ve been supportive in creating a positive environment to be around, and they had the opportunity to compete with both themselves, and others.”
Player invitations to the camp were also sent out personally by coach Manning but the camp is open to the public as well. Register online at: smus.ca/camps
