Pumas Academy 2010 -2011 Review

The past season was a huge success for the Academy. Twenty five different young people attended training sessions and the average attendance was around twelve.

Ages ranged from five to thirteen and nationalities included Sri Lankans, Russians, Americans, Turks/Cypriots, British ex pats and Irish.
The season began with an emphasis on physical fitness and fun rather than set rugby moves. However, by mid season the games played were becoming extremely watchable
and one or two stars of the future were emerging.

Sponsorship provided by Gordon Kent enabled the purchase of a number of training aides and I was able to purchase each player a polo shirt badged with PUMAS on the rear.
At the end of season party every player turned up in their shirt and good coverage was provided by both Cyprus Today and the Cyprus Star.

Lack of games proved a problem in maintaining motivation and the Academy could probably have provided an exhibition match before a senior fixture if timings had been a little different.
Attempts to introduce an after school club to the British Academy failed. The school owners were quite enthusiastic but the emphasis of the school is quite clearly on football.

Rugby has however taken off at Girne American Univerisy ( GAU)  and hopefully this will be followed by The English School of Kyrenia (ESK) taking up the sport.

I see the schools as essential if a firm foundation for junior rugby is to be laid.To start with this could result in an Inter Schools Tournament which would both raise the profile of the game and surmount the problem of getting fixtures.

That schools are the way forward is further highlighted by the loss of players that the Academy has suffered since the end of last season. Over fifty percent of the registered players have now
left the island and one or two more are on the point of doing so. It is extremely difficult to make progress when every year sees a new recruitment drive and the need to start from fresh.

The Committee have also acknowledged the need to bridge the gap between the Academy and the Senior Team by having those of Colts age do physical training with the Senior Team.
To facilitate that there may well be changes to the total Academy Training structure in the Season 2011-2012

Trevor Sheard

Head of Academy

Club Secretary