It was Touch Rugby season and the budding players aged from 8 to 10 years old started out really enthusiastically. Based in Hobbiton/Matamata New Zealand, the organizer had named them the MCS Hobbits, but they felt more like Jaguars, fast and agile.
The newbie players had little idea of the rules and strategies of the game, needed much work on ball skills and weren’t quite as agile as they felt, but for some of them lunchtime practices were no match for the draw of the lunchtime playground.
The volunteer coach decided the Budding Fruits app was just what was needed, He downloaded it to his mobile phone, set the team up as a child, decided on the requirements and set the goal to 100 points. Each of the players could earn two points for practice, one for being there and one for working hard; and two points for game day, also for being there and working hard. Additional points were available for good attitudes, good team work, dedication etc.
The reward for reaching the 100 point goal was a chocolate coated ice cream for each of the players.
The players loved the idea, and would often ask how many points had been earned. Player moral and enthusiasm improved and the playground was much less of a distraction. The players attention could easily be kept on task.
It would be great to be able to report that the team won its draw but sadly that was not to be. However, the coaching environment was positive, the players all enjoyed the experience and came away with a foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities to set them up for the next year.
The volunteer coach decided the Budding Fruits app was just what was needed, He downloaded it to his mobile phone, set the team up as a child, decided on the requirements and set the goal to 100 points.
