Youth Flag Rugby Expands to Two More Cities

Flag rugby in Rivne

Following the successful development of 5-on-5 indoor flag rugby in Odessa schools, similar leagues are starting to take hold in other cities across Ukraine. Last winter we reported about flag rugby in Ivano-Frankivsk, and this spring flag rugby competitions also began in Kharkiv in Rivne.

Flag rugby in Kharkiv

Kharkiv is a city of 1.4 million people and the home of Olymp rugby club, the national champion of Ukraine, so it was natural that the city rugby club should try to expand its fan base and build a pipeline of future players. 12 city schools entered the flag rugby competition for kids aged 11-13. In the future the league may expand to 16 teams.
In the western Ukrainian city of Rivne four teams began competing on 10 April, taking advantage of good weather and actually taking the game outside. Three or four more teams should be joining the league for the next round on 17 April. The Ukrainian Rugby Federation is hoping to continue this momentum and keep building the foundations of youth rugby in many more cities across Ukraine.

Sources:
Vecherniy Kharkov
Rivne Rugby

Youth Flag Rugby Launched in Ivano-Frankivsk

Following the successful model of five-a-side non-contact flag rugby competitions in Odessa schools that has been going for a few years now, a similar programme was recently launched in the western Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk.
The Ukrainian Rugby Federation leaders have stated on a number of occasions that youth rugby is a high priority for them. Lowering the age of entry into the sport and growing public awareness of rugby will help build a foundation for a successful national team. Non-contact Rugby-5 competitions have been successful in introducing schoolchildren in Odessa to rugby, and the long-term goal is to launch youth rugby in all the regional centers of Ukraine.

Thanks to the support from Ivano-Frankivsk city authorities and the generosity of sponsors, this dream is becoming a reality. More than 100 children aged 10-12 participated in the first "Saint Nicholas Cup" in December. The team representing School No. 19 beat School No. 2 in the final to become the first ever champions of Ivano-Frankivsk flag rugby league. The organizers plan to host another tournament shortly after New Year.

Source:  http://if.rugby5.com.ua/