FOUNDATION ROUND UP

APRIL 2024

FOUNDATION ROUND UP

APRIL 2024

As always, we have been very busy out in the community, activating at schools and youth centres, whilst also running clinics and advanced level coaching opportunities.

In April we ran a JagTag ‘101’ – 5v5 Showcase Event with tips advice, and mini coaching on the day will come from Union Jax Trustee member and former NFL star Jason Bell, alongside Jaguars Legend Tight End – Ben Koyack.

The aim of the event was to promote our Union Jax Foundation activities and specifically our JagTag 101 Programme, which sees young people come together each weekend to learn the skills of 5v5 flag football and progress over a 16-week period.

Jason and Ben then ran an O’s Vs D’s clinic, which featured young people from BAFA, who took part in O vs D’ ‘Pass set’ Clinic teachings.

With positional drills and techniques and live ‘game simulation’ scenarios it was a fantastic session that everyone enjoyed enormously.

With high level BAFA and GB coaches on hand to support Ben and Jason in their on-field coaching efforts, the day offered much to the young people aspiring to enhance their skill sets in the sport and learn valuable insights from those that have experience of playing in the National Football League.

Both Ben and Jason had a great time with young people of all levels throughout the day, having a tremendous experience.

This was followed soon after by a Belfast Girls Tournament held at Meadowbank Sports Arena event on 19th April where over 150 girls participated in an all-girls showcase competition.

70 Year 8 (11- & 12-Year-olds) took to the field playing JagTag 5v5.

These 5 schools had taken part in a programme run by our partners at CSN where the young leaders Year 13s (ages 16 & 17) had coached the younger girls within a school setting for a 12-week period.

This programme was fund-matched by Sport Northern Ireland and endorsed by American Football Ireland the National Governing Body of the sport in Ireland.

Four female JagTag Level 2 Coaches from London were on hand to pass on their skills, knowledge and direction and help officiate the on-field activity.

Champions on the day were Cross & Passion College, Ballycastle, County Antrim; with Runners Up being Thornhill College, Londonderry.

Following the event, we were contacted by one of the school’s teachers who offered this great endorsement:

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you for delivering the JagTag programme to our year 13 girls. They absolutely loved taking part in the programme over the last number of months. The year 8 girls/boys that were also coached in PE class thought it was brilliant and loved learning something different in class. The year 8 girls haven't stopped talking about the competition day in Meadowbank and all they want to do in PE now is play JagTag. It was a great opportunity for everyone to get involved in and hopefully won't be the last group to get the opportunity to take part in the programme as well. So, thanks again from both the year 13's and myself & please pass on my thanks to the rest of the coaches who came very week to deliver the programme as well. It was much appreciated. "

Aoífe

Teacher

Our Draft weekend of events took place in Dublin in late April, where we ran our JagTag programmes with 120 kids from local schools at the sport Ireland campus and featured schools from our delivery partner Sherpa Kids network, including: Griffith Barracks Multi Denominational School, St Mary’s National School, Our Lady’s Boys National School, Scoil Ide Primary School, Riverview Educate Together, all from Dublin, and Scoil Ide Sabres, from Limerick.

Following the community activity with local schools, Ben Koyack then led an American Football Ireland (AFI) Offensive Clinic which featured 80 AFI Participants who also featured on camera in the live Draft pick made from Dublin – the first ever live pick from Ireland.

We also have events coming up when our players are over for the Annual Summer Player tour, so watch out for those updates next month!