Young rugby players now have a “clear pathway” to the senior side, according to Caerphilly Youth’s team manager.
Caerphilly Youth, which caters for players aged between 16 and 19, is enjoying a resurgent season after struggling last year.
Playing alongside the senior side at Virginia Park in Caerphilly town, the youth side boasts 28 players after a recruitment drive to get boys who may have decided to play elsewhere to return to their home team after a tough few years.
Over the summer months, the club had to rebuild a new team structure, as coach Chris Ferris and captain Rhys Jones met new players to sell the pathway structure from the U16s into youth and then senior rugby at Caerphilly RFC.
Their success was evident with new signings Jorge Lucey, Owen Bennett, Henry JR Hibbs and Tom Workman, son of club stalwart Mark Workman, all returning to their grass roots club where the majority played their mini and junior rugby.
Team manager Lela Brewin has helped to oversee the youth revival having joined the club in the summer.
She said: “We’re like a family here. The bond the boys are creating is vital for their future and we’ve tried to link the youth and senior sides. We’re trying to bring them together socially, like watching the autumn internationals together.”
Players are encouraged to look out for one another, and the club’s social media activity has been ramped up in an attempt to help the teenagers feel like their senior counterparts.
Last season, the first team were promoted to Division 2 East, as well as reaching the final of the WRU National Bowl, turning out in front of fans and youngsters at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Lela added: “Our job is to get them ready on and off the pitch, and the senior guys really help in that aspect. A lot of the boys’ favourite players in rugby play for the senior set-up, and there’s now a clear pathway for them to go from youth rugby to senior and possibly higher from there.
“It’s all about retaining players from a young age who want to play for Caerphilly.”
Caerphilly Youth will compete on three fronts this season: in the National Youth League A, where they sit fifth after four matches, and in the upcoming Dragons Cup and Caerphilly Cup.
Their league season started with a 21-15 loss to reigning champions Senghenydd, before two impressive victories against Penallta and Newport HSOB. A high-scoring loss to Newbridge followed, as well as defeat to Aberdare in the National Youth Cup.
The Youth will look to bounce back this weekend (Saturday, December 2), against Risca in the first round of the Caerphilly Cup, which also features Penallta, Newbridge, Senghenydd, Bargoed, Nelson and Bedwas.
The match is free to attend, with kick off scheduled for midday.
Lela said: “We’ll have to wait and see how the league pans out. We had a disappointing result against Newbridge but the boys are showing real team spirit in their performances and that’s massive.
“The job satisfaction I personally get from seeing these boys grow and mature and progress is just fantastic.
“Thanks must also go to our sponsors My Ibiza Travel, Ng of Training, Speedfast Tool Hire, Daren Oliver Surveying, Gilbert Engineering Ltd, Just Air Services Ltd, Kitchen Wizard, Purple Bricks and Performance Physiotherapy.”
For more information, visit www.caerphillyrugbyclub.com or @Caerphillyyouth on Twitter.