Life in lockdown: What your Shute Shield club is doing
By MARK CASHMAN
Lockdown is tough time but when your are a Shute Shield coach trying to keep or gather some momentum for the run to the finals, what do you do?
Rugby News spoke to the coaches about what they are doing in these times.
NORTHERN SUBURBS
Zak Beer
“We put some contingency planning together over summer should another COVID lockdown happen – thankfully we’re all set-up and rolled our plan straight out.
“We pick up where we left off in last year’s lockdown. We came out of the 2020 lockdown in great shape and will be looking to evolve from that experience again this year.
“The Top Squad have broken up into Mini-Teams based on where they live. The captain of each Mini-Team was dropped off a kit bag full of gear to train with. We put out 2-3 sessions that the guys have been completing – all the time adhering to all the Public Health Orders – along with our weekly team Zooms.
“We’ve made it into a weekly challenge with rewards/punishments and naming ‘Team of the Week’, and added some fun to it so the guys stay engaged and positive during what can be a challenging time.
“It’s gotten pretty competitive and there’s plenty of laughs and barbs flying around between the Mini-Teams.
“Away from that we’ve given a couple of projects to specific players in our group and we’ve put together some folders of teams around the world to look at new ideas we can roll out at the other side of this.”
GORDON
Brian Melrose
“I put out a COVID questionnaire to 100 players within the club. The first question was: “Do you care if you see me for two weeks?
“After every player outside of the first grade team I had selected for last week’s match said an emphatic ‘NO’, it made things easier .
“We are just getting guys to exercise in local groups within the guidelines to keep ticking along .
“It’s a decent bit of organisation and communication but that’s the situation we have .
“We’ve been through it before and the boys are good. Of course some individuals struggle but that’s the challenge to keep them engaged.
“You just got to think outside the square a bit as you can keep fit and strong anywhere, anytime.”
WESTERN SYDNEY TWO BLUES
Joel Rivers
“It certainly is tough since we rely on council grounds and have no club house. However the players have all their individual sessions posted on Team Buildr by Lachlan our S&C which they can do at home or on their own.
“Some of the players who live near Merrylands have been meeting at the park and completing fitness session in small groups as mandated by Public Health Orders, but we haven’t had any official training as we are abiding NSW Rugby regulations.
“We have an upcoming Zoom meeting to keep the boys focused and advise of the hopeful restart date of the July 24.
“Apart from that we are just calling the boys to ensure they are doing okay but I can say the second time around the players seem better prepared for the lockdown.
WARRINGAH
Mike Ruthven
“Pretty restricted obviously. We are abiding by all the Government regulations and managing as best we can within that.
“The focus for us is making sure guys remain on top of their S&C programs and providing them with some individual skill focuses.
“We will remain connected the same ways we managed through lockdown last year.”
EASTERN SUBURBS
Pauli Taumoepeau
“We’re adhering to all Public Health Orders and remain focussed on our preparation through individual exercise sessions and remain connected through team Zoom chats.
“The obvious emphasis during this period will be working hard individually to maintain our fitness as best we can.”
MANLY
Matt McGoldrick
“We’re keeping within all the Public Health Orders and training in groups of 10 for all our running and weights programs.
“This break has been good for us in one way in that many of our injured troops are filtering back into the program and keen for some footy.
“Max Douglas is now back along with Jimmy Ohmsen and we are likely to see Sio Tatola on the other side of this.”
WEST HARBOUR
Mark Gudmunson
“That is a great question, we are not allowed to be organising any structured sessions. So probably like a lot of other clubs we have small groups of players doing exercise in their local parks and streets, individuals doing gym sessions in their home garage or back yards to keep the wheels turning.
“Who knows where this will go and how long it is back for. Our goal is to give the players programs to follow and in various ways through Clint Hill, from gym programs, running programs and body weight programs.
“That is all we have been told we are allowed to be doing. Our club gym is just gaining dust right now, unfortunately that is just how it has to be.
“We have coaches speaking with players with daily updates, chats about work, family and life in general.
“We have a few things coming up on Zoom if this goes longer than the original two weeks stated, but our number 1 is to make sure the players, managers and coaches are all okay.
“There are also quite a few former West Harbour boys in the junior Wallaby squad and also playing for Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and then some playing abroad. Can’t get enough Stan Sport right now.
“Rugby is a game that we get to play for fun, so when we get back on the field, we need to make sure we enjoy every second.”
RANDWICK
Ben McCormack
“We’re adhering to all Public Health Orders and Randwick council are extremely strict so we’re really conscious of doing the right thing. The lads are just doing individual exercise sessions.
“The emphasis is just working hard individually to maintain our running loads and strength as best we can.
“It not ideal but it is what it is, this is a period last year that hurt some teams who either didn’t do enough or conversely tried to do too much, so we’re trying to get that balance right.”
PENRITH
John Muggleton
“Our trainers are running some very small group sessions for those who want it at the gym or on the field. At this stage that is just about all that you can do.”
EASTWOOD
Ben Batger
“We are very lucky to have a very good S&C in Rob Fowlkes who has put together a lockdown training program so the squad have different speed/strength/fitness training programs they need to do.
“Then they are split off into geographical groups where the players catch up minimum two times a week so they can do more rugby specific drills and also so we can try and keep that face to face connection .
“Lots of WhatsApp messages and videos floating about also.
“To be honest 90 percent of players have been through it before so they know what they need to do and the players are driving the standards and making sure everyone is accountable.”
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
Todd Louden
“We are obviously adhering to all the Public Health Orders and having been through all this last year we rolled out that plan and have used it as a bit of a reboot for the rest of the season.
“The other thing that we are doing is using this time to do a reconditioning block so everyone is working hard in their own little groups.
“Away from that we’ve got guys doing a few things that are away from the rugby – we’ve got a few guys learning how to surf, some are doing bush walks and there are few playing handball of all things.
“This is something that we have all been through before and everyone seems to be coping quite well and at the same time it’s given our injured guys time to come back.”
SYDNEY UNI
Phil Blake
“At the moment we are just adhering to all the Public Health orders. Players have been given Individual programs & exercise sessions to get through this period.
“We’re staying connected through Zoom chats too.”
IMAGE: RICMAC/RANDWICK RUGBY