Congratulations to U18’s Head Coach Ross Whiteside who has recently completed his UKCC Level 3 coaching course. Ross started the course pre-COVID and has finally been able to finish the programme. UKCC Level 3 is one of the top coaching qualifications on offer to Scottish Rugby.

We caught up with Ross about his achievement:

“Having completed the Level Two UKCC course 13 years ago, I had considered the Level three course on a number of occasions but life is busy and it never seem like he right time. Coaching CPDs ran by The Club and the SRU were confirming that there had been a lot of changes in the way that we think about coaching. All the feedback I had been getting about how the Level 3 course had grown was positive, so I bit the bullet and sent in my application. After 19 years of coaching it was exciting to know that I could keep learning.

The course did not disappoint. It was all hands on coaching and challenged the way I thought about sessions and games. Every session having a purpose and meeting the player’s and season’s requirements. It is very easy to throw a session together and at the end, not be able to identify whether its objectives have been truly been achieved. Usually we cram too much in and the detail is missed but if there is one learning from the course, it was for me to reduce the content and focus on the objective, to make sure that it is achieved.

The quality of what the SRU has put together and are now developing into the new generation of courses is fantastic. They are also listening and have tailored the new courses to bridge what had become a large gap between Level 2 and Level 3. They provide courses, that both enthuse and inform us as coaches, which in turn will allows us to have the same effect on the players. I would like to thank the Club and especially Steven Meenagh for supporting me in the course.”

Steven Meenagh, Club Development Officer added:

“Ross has worked incredibly hard to complete his UKCC Level 3 and its fantastic that he was able to finish the course, even with COVID stopping everything. Ross has many years experience and is one of the best coaches I have seen working with U18s. His player management and ability to develop individuals is top class. I am sure the work done on the level 3 course will push him on further”

Well Done Ross

#BullsFamily