BACKGROUND
The Rugby Factory officially began in 2013, was initially located in Vanderbiljpark and better known as the Valke Rugby Factory. The Rugby Factory’s aim is to assist under 19 and under 20 players/students to create a career path for themselves by following a ten month full time on and off the field rugby program. In 2017 Arno Kilian coached the Valke under 20 team who competed in the SARU under 20 Championship. The core of the Valke under 20 team consisted of Rugby Factory players/students which was the case since 2013. During this time Arno Kilian realised the value the Rugby Factory could add in assisting young aspiring players/students, so when the opportunity came to buy the concept and intellectual property of the Rugby Factory, no additional convincing was needed for him to do so.
Arno Kilian however felt that the Rugby Factory was in need of revitalization and it started by relocating the Rugby Factory. A unique five hectare property in Kempton Park belonging to the “Afrikaanse Baptiste Kerk” (ABK) was identified which had class rooms, a church, hostel and the possibility of a rugby field which was duly completed.
After extensive negotiations, renovations and the signing of a five year lease agreement the Rugby Factory officially started at their new “home” on the 8th of January 2018. At the end of 2018 further revitalization came when the decision was made to partner with Harlequin Rugby Club in Pretoria. Approval was granted to rebrand the Rugby Factory which is now formally known as the Harlequin International Rugby Factory. Partnering with the Harlequin Rugby Club, we can now better assist players/students with career planning in their domestic; international and professional careers as semi-professional or professional players/students.
THE HARLEQUIN BRAND
Harlequin Rugby is one of the founder members of rugby in the world. The Harlequin logo is arguably the best recognized club rugby brand in the world.
Pretoria Harlequin Rugby Club is the oldest officially registered Harlequin Club to the main club in the United Kingdom. The Harlequin brand, provides our players/students with a CV that will allow them to create a career path into club (local and abroad); provincial and international careers. The Harlequin brand is an independent brand that will allow the Rugby Factory to actively promote our players/students to various provincial sides. The Harlequin International Rugby Factory is key to player development and assists eligible players/students the opportunity to trial at the provincial sides who play in the prestigious SARU under 20 Championship.
Our partnership with the Harlequin Rugby Club consists of the following:
• Register all our players/students (youth; junior and senior) with the Harlequin Rugby Club and Harlequin Main Club and access to all the facilities;
• Register the players/students with the Blue Bull Rugby Union under the Harlequin Rugby Club;
• Exclusively utilize the Harlequin International Rugby Factory brand according to CI Rules;
• Utilize the Harlequin logo and brand on all official correspondence;
• Adhere to the Rugby Club’s Constitution and serve on the administrative structures of the Club;
• Players/students to be considered for Quins Bobbies Rugby (QBR); QBR 10s; Harlequin 7’s; Harlequin League; Harlequin touch; Harlequin youth and any other Harlequin rugby teams;
• Players/students to be considered for the Carlton; Volcano Cup and Volcano Young Guns Competition.
As part of the Harlequin International Rugby Factory’s offering we provide full time coaches by qualified personnel as well as a; sport scientist; a dedicated physiotherapist; biokenetic and agility and skills coaches. Training programmes include Boksmart, WR level 1 (one) referee and coaching qualifications and lifestyle coaching from our partners in the Baptist Church, players/students are enrolled as students for a spiritual enrichment course which is presented on the premises and in doing so we allow and encourage our players/students to study correspondence courses and actively assist the players/students with thought leadership and career planning.
VISION
To develop the youth of rugby in South Africa and abroad to their full potential.
MISSION
To create a professional, resourceful environment for the youth where he can find himself and pursue his dream as a rugby player.
GOAL
To use rugby as our tool to bring change to the youth using the “bible” as our compass and win “souls” for Christ.
1. To give us as mentors the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of the youth by:
• Teaching the youth about principles, norms and values which they can apply on the rugby field and beyond;
• Teaching the youth about perseverance and discipline needed to be successful not only on the rugby field but also in general society;
• Teaching the youth about relationship skills, so that they can listen communicate and deliberate as we believe the lack of these skills is a shortcoming on and off the field of play.
2. As coaches, to develop them:
• By following a specific program that focuses not only on skills, but also on power and speed;
• We believe that there are many more performance-determining aspects in the development of rugby players/students, and in addition to the physical and technical aspects, we also develop the tactical and mental aspects needed to be successful as a rugby player;
• To learn and apply all these aspects is of paramount importance to achieve the best possible achievement;
• To assist in this challenge, a lot of research is done to assist the various aspects and different phases needed in the development of players/students;
• The Rugby Factory is based on internationally recognized standards and models, and great care is taken to make it player specific;
• The Rugby Factory also follows certain guidelines for all participants of rugby with the aim of reaching a fun and productive experience for all.
3. Three principles in which the rugby academy believes:
• The plan has been created for the player/student, all aspects of the plan is aimed at the player/student's development;
• The plan is aimed at the long term as the reality is that there are no short ways to develop skills that will lead to the ultimate achievement as it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours of exercise to ensure players/students develop to their full potential;
• Good cooperation between all parties including clubs and unions is a prerequisite, giving the players/students the best possible exposure opportunity and necessary support.
SERVICES
1. Academy costs includes kit and covers coaching by qualified coaches which consist of an:
• agility and skills coach
• defence and breakdown coach
• strength and conditioning coach and the services of a registered practitioner in the following field:
• Biokentic
• Physiotherapist
• Sport Scientist
as well as tutoring by accredited facilitators for the following courses:
• Boksmart
• First Aid Level 1
• WR IRB Level 1 coaching
• WR IRB Level 1 match official
• Spiritual enrichment
2. Hostel costs consist of:
• Accommodation
• Laundry
• Meals (Monday to Friday)
• Security
CONCLUSION
Today's youth has no life experience and struggle to cope are cope after school as they truly do not even know themselves and most of them do not even know what they really want to do with their lives. Some attend tertiary institutions to study further or to play rugby, while others take a gap year if they have not already started working. The problem is that only a handful of boys know whom they really are, what they want to become and what they want to do with their lives. It is for this reason that the Rugby Factory offers boys the opportunity to "find" themselves in a purposeful, balanced Christian environment where they can grow and develop into better people which deliver better rugby playing students. As coaches of the Rugby Factory we believe it is our calling to coach and in doing so serve and make a difference in the lives of the youth where we use rugby as our tool, believing that:
"A COACH WILL IMPACT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE IN A YEAR THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DOES IN A LIFETIME”
