Sport Central hosted 50 year 5-8 students at a touch camp last week in Wānaka. Grant Milne a former New Zealand coach spent time during the break to talk to local coaches and answer their questions.

With the weather forecast looking questionable, the decision was made to transfer the camp to the Wānaka Recreation Centre. The venue was excellent and the kids still managed to get outside for plenty of game time. Milne developed the sessions that allowed the children to learn through play. Expert guidance was given by former international, Lana Whipp and nation representative, Claudia Carruthers along with a present day U18 women’s rugby sevens player, Meg Breen.

Milne was equally impressed with the quality of coaches and the young talent attending. “The talent was the equal of anything I have seen in Otago,” said Milne. He was also glowing in his praise for the coaches, encouraging them for “[framing] their comments to the level of the audience but were always encouraging, while adding real insight into how to be a better Touch player’’.

In the afternoon the older kids got one on one coaching to take their game to another level.

Tiny Carruthers, organiser of the camp, from Sport Central felt there was a real possibility to run more of these camps throughout the region.