Published on:
14
September 2012
Two young men have joined Clackmannanshire Council as Modern Apprentices, with the special responsibility to enhance and develop youth rugby in the county.
Fraser Watson and Martin McKenzie, both 18, will work alongside the Council's Sports Development Team, in a year long apprenticeship, and aim to unearth new and exciting rugby talent in the area.
The two - Fraser, from Sauchie, and Martin, from Alloa, have each been given a set number of schools in the area as their remit, as well as being linked with the two senior rugby clubs in the county.
Fraser is teaming up with the coaching set-up at Hillfoots Rugby Club, while Martin, who already is an established member of the Alloa Rugby Club first fifteen, as scrum-half, has been assigned to his own Earlsfield club.
The Council's Convener for Sport and Leisure, Councillor Ellen Forson, said: "We are delighted to welcome to the two young men to the Council as our latest Modern Apprentices and I am sure they will be of great benefit in developing the sport of rugby within our schools, as well as using the experience to further their own careers."
They both recently successfully passed their Level 1 rugby refereeing course, and at the end of the one year Modern Apprenticeship with Clackmannanshire Council, will attain their Level 3 Coaching and Event Management Certificate in July 2013. Their modern apprenticeships have been arranged in partnership with the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU).
Fraser took up rugby as a nine-year-old in primary five at Craigbank Primary School and continued playing at Lornshill Academy and then with Clackmannanshire Colts. He is now a member of the Alloa R.F.C. second fifteen. He can play anywhere along the backs, though usually at centre or on the wing.
Martin also took up rugby as a nine-year-old with Alloa R.F.C. minis and played rugby at both St John's Primary and Alloa Academy, before breaking through to the Alloa R.F.C. first team.
Martin said: "We are enjoying the challenge of a Modern Apprenticeship. We had to fill in application forms before going for an interview with the Council's Rugby Sports Development Officer, Steve Swindall and Peter Cook, Rugby Development Manager with the SRU. We then had to go for a further interview at Murrayfield in Edinburgh before being awarded the apprenticeships. It was a thorough process.
"I always knew it was an option for me when I left school and rugby is a big passion of mine.
"It is great experience for any young person. Fraser and I are seen as the coaching link between the schools and the clubs, and already through the Rugby School Project at Alloa Academy and the School of Rugby at Alva Academy, we have already spotted a lot of talent coming through.
Fraser added: "We have already found how to be able to adapt coaching sessions to the various schools we go to and the various children we are coaching, and that is a skill in itself."
Out with rugby, Martin is a keen to ski during the winter, while Fraser is an enthusiastic footballer.
During their rugby Modern Apprenticeships with the Council they will both be under the leadership of the Steve Swindall, a former member of Glasgow Warriors and a Scotland 'A' cap, the Council's Rugby Development Officer.