Fullerians RFC ’Warriors’ is a mixed ability Rugby team that was formed in 2017 within the existing framework of the club to enable people with physical and learning disabilities to be able to join a team and be part of our Rugby family. The side has been going from strength to strength and, as a result, we are always looking for new players.
Our mixed ability rugby team is helping people from all walks of life to play Rugby regardless of their situation. The team, set up last year, allows players to take as little or as much contact as they want and allows those with physical or mental impairments to continue playing the game.
Our initiative is supported by Saracens Sport Foundation along with Danny Howard and his coaching team at Fullerians RFC.
Danny Howard, who is head coach and QCF Level 3 qualified in health and social care, said: “I got involved last year and haven’t looked back. We have the makings of a great squad and have a fantastic time playing an all-inclusive, amazing sport. The coaches and players have a lot of fun’.
The Mixed Ability Model encourages social inclusion by removing barriers to participation for people who feel unable to join mainstream grassroots clubs or groups due to physical or mental health issues, size, shape, age, disability, prolonged inactivity, or a perception of “not being good enough”.
Mixed Ability Sport is not about classifying levels of ability and separating disabled players into different tiers. We believe this focuses on what people cannot do, the emphasis in Mixed Ability Sport is the inclusion of all players! Facilitation, support and involvement are encouraged by all, on and off the field. We have an open door policy for anyone to come and train and play. The team is now a well established and recognised part of the club. We have both male and female players from the surrounding community who have a range of impairments such as learning disabilities, autism, minor mental health issues and physical disability.
The current age range for players is 8 -35, although there is no upper age limit, and we are able to make this work because we play touch / tag rugby in which everyone can join in. The ethos of the team is fun regardless of the level of ability. We are inclusive and welcome everyone.
We have a number of experienced players building their confidence and well-being through participation and being part of a team, improving both physical and mental health. We are breaking new ground and opening doors for many who often get missed in our communities.
Fullerians are fully behind this program and Head Coach Danny Howard is QCF Level 3 qualified in health and social care. He has also completed many other CPD courses including Autism Awareness. A number of level 2 qualified RFU coaches also support Danny and the team. We welcome new players to come down to our fun and enjoyable sessions.
Training takes place for 1 hour every week on a Sunday morning between 10am and 11.15am.
If you have any questions or would like to come down and give it a try, please contact Martin Newman (martin_newman@hotmail.com) for further information.