🏉 Under 12s Training-Building Tackle Confidence at Catterick Crusaders

Our Under 12s delivered another brilliant session this week, with the focus firmly on building tackle confidence and sharpening safe, effective technique. The energy was high from the very start, and the players threw themselves into every challenge with determination and maturity.

⚡ High-Intensity Warm-Up

The session opened with what Neil jokingly called a “military training” warm‑up — and it certainly lived up to the name. The players worked through:

• Acceleration drills

• Deceleration and controlled stopping

• Plyometric movements

These exercises fired up their muscles, improved reaction speed, and prepared them for the contact work ahead.

🐻 Contact Preparation: Super Bear Crawl

Before moving into full tackling, the group completed a super bear crawl contact warm‑up. This helped them get comfortable with low body positions, engage their core, and switch into a physical, focused mindset.

💥 Tackling Technique & Confidence

The main part of the session centred on developing safe, confident tackling. The players worked on:

• Staying low and breaking at the hips

• Correct foot placement for balance

• Strong shoulder contact

• Safe head position — cheek to cheek

As confidence grew, the group moved onto the tackle mat, combining all the technical points into a controlled drill. The improvement was clear to see — excellent technique, strong focus, and a real willingness to learn.

🏉 Finishing With a Tactical Touch Game

To round things off, the players took part in a game of touch with specific tactical goals:

• Defenders held a straight defensive line, moving up together

• Attackers worked on finding and exploiting space

• The previous tackler had to retreat to their try line, naturally creating gaps

This allowed the group to apply their defensive and attacking principles in a game-like situation, reinforcing teamwork, communication, and decision‑making.

💪 A Fantastic Session From a Committed Group

The effort, attitude, and improvement across the board were outstanding. Every player pushed themselves, supported their teammates, and showed real growth in both confidence and technique. We’re incredibly proud of this group and excited to see how they continue to develop over the coming weeks.

👋 New Players Are Always Welcome

If your child is interested in joining the Catterick Crusaders family, we’d love to welcome them. Whether they’re brand new to rugby or looking to build on existing skills, our coaches and players create a supportive, fun, and confidence‑building environment for everyone.