Centra and Ulster Rugby team up to launch summer coaching programme

The camps, which are sponsored by Centra and its independent retailers, will visit over 20 venues across Ulster from 4th July – 25th August. This year will see the introduction of the three-day School of Excellence camps for players aged 12-16 years, which have been developed in conjunction with Ulster Rugby’s Director of Rugby Les Kiss and will be delivered by qualified Ulster Rugby staff.

The School of Excellence camps will take place at Friends School, Lisburn, Royal School, Armagh, Campbell College, Belfast, City of Derry RFC and Virginia RFC, Co. Cavan.

Week-long junior camps will continue to run at 14 locations for boys and girls aged 6-12 years while two three-day girls camps at Clogher Valley RFC in Co. Tyrone and Cooke RFC in Belfast will cater for 12-18 year olds. Newforge Sports Complex in Belfast will once again host a Special Needs Camp.

Each year the Summer Camps have grown in popularity and since their launch in 2008, have welcomed over 11,000 participants. Young players benefit from expert advice from qualified Ulster Rugby staff coaches with Ulster players on hand to give tips on the game, talk about life as a professional player and interact with the participants.

Chris Webster, Domestic Rugby Manager at Ulster Rugby said: “We are delighted to launch the ninth annual Centra Summer Camps. Ulster has a rich source of young talented rugby players and we look forward to developing and nurturing their skills and talent over the summer months. The addition of the Schools of Excellence will give that added focus to the young players as we hope they progress further in the sport.

“We would like to thank Centra for their continued support as well as the senior Ulster team for their involvement throughout the summer. We’re excited this year to offer camps in all four regions of Ulster to meet the demand from so many enthusiastic young players,” he added.

Jennifer Morton, Centra Brand Manager, said: “Centra and its independent retail partners are once again lending their support to this great initiative. Our partnership with Ulster Rugby has gone from strength to strength over the past nine years and we’re proud to have supported over 11,000 young people in their skills development. We hope the camps provide young players with the opportunity to stay fit and active during the school holidays.”

The cost of each camp is £65 for a place on the Junior Camp, £40 for the Girls and Special Needs Camps, and £85 for the Schools of Excellence Camps. Discounts are available for additional family members attending the same camp and for participants attending a second camp. The prices include a T-shirt, a water bottle, a rugby ball and promotional codes to claim a free ticket to an Ulster game at Kingspan Stadium and a free stadium tour, including a visit to the Nevin Spence Centre.

Information will be distributed to schools and rugby clubs across Ulster and parents can also book and pay for camps online. Full details of this year’s Summer Camps and how to book can be found at camps.ulsterrugby.com