U11s had a very successful season all in all. We welcomed new players of varying degrees of experience and managed to integrate them successfully (that said, if you're reading this, and you want to play next season, the more the merrier!). Big shout out to those guys as joining an established group is challenging, but as lead coach, I'm extremely proud of the way the boys welcome new players into the team and involve them.

Training went well this season with kicking being the major addition to the way we play at the U11 stage. Somewhat predictably, we learned that kicking without an effective chase (race for space) wasn't productive, and we learned the offside law the hard way a couple of times! However, our style of play, keeping the ball in hand and moving it wide and away from contact meant that we naturally kicked less and passed more. Thanks to sponsors in Somerhill School, our training was interrupted less by the usual flooding of the Slade, especially important with the relentless house building in Kent affecting our use of the 3G facility at Vizards.

Outside of training, we attended a number of festivals at other clubs - shout out to those clubs hosting - we're well aware of the work that goes into this, and we're extremely grateful for the invitations. Edenbridge RFC's festival is particularly well organised, but I have to say we had a ball at all of the festivals this season. Thanks also to clubs who came to us to play, or who invited us to theirs for fixtures outside the heavy duty organisation of festivals. Shout out to Cranbrook RFC, Crowborough RFC, Sevenoaks RFC and Tunbridge Wells RFC particularly - it's great to have local rival sides who play in such commendable spirit, and whose foremost concern is that the kids have fun playing and improve as players.
We also hosted a touring Windsor side, who brought 30 children to play. We were somewhat depleted due to school holidays, but Tunbridge Wells RFC stepped in and provided another 2 'home' teams in our mini-festival and between the two clubs did us proud as hosts.
Our play drew compliments from almost all of the coaches whose teams we played against, which, again, is testament to the effort the boys put in in training and the quality of the coaching team.

The season isn't complete without mentioning the U11 Pirates tour to Bognor - there's a fuller report elsewhere on the site, but we ended the tour undefeated, and our score overall was good for equal second in the Tigers Challenge across the two days. We're already looking forward to next year's tour and sketching out a plan is already in motion.

The last training session of the season included the usual World's Strongest Man competition, with all the boys having a tremendous time, before the awards ceremony and usual burgers etc. Thanks so much to parents who contributed salads and other sides for this event. The awards themselves are as follows:

Player's player of the Season (chosen by players): Otto Bates
Player of the Season (chosen by Coaches): Diesel Relle
Spirit of Rugby: Josh Streeten-Smith, Evan Snow
Most Improved Players: Sam Beamish, Kenzo Patel

At U11's a cup is awarded to the player who embodied Rugby's and TJs' values as a player throughout their minis career. This is the Kirkness Cup, and this was awarded to Diesel Relle. Massive congratulations to those winners, but massive thanks to all the players who made the season, and this group what it is. The coaches and parents are hugely proud of you.

Special thanks must go to the parents who bring their children week after week, rain or shine. Having said that, a special group in that group of parents are the coaches who not only bring their children, but volunteer their time and energy to help the team and the players grow as rugby players and individuals.

See you next season!

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