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Community rugby coach Cliff Service at The Vyne Community School

BASINGSTOKE RFC's new community coach is looking to expand the club's influence in secondary schools across north Hampshire.

Cliff Service is the latest man to be given the role, which involves delivering coaching programmes to schools in the area and working as a mentor to young coaches at clubs, schools and colleges.

He is also responsible for overseeing junior rugby at all levels within the club and will be taking a hands-on coaching role with the academy and the Penguins, 'Stoke's under-15 girls team.

Service replaces Joe Goodman, who has left the club to move back to his home town of Bath, and the new man brings a lot of experience to Down Grange.

The 34-year-old played for Basingstoke as a youngster. He moved to Scotland after leaving the Army and began training to be a coach when an Achilles injury ended his days as a player.

He had a successful career north of the border, coaching amateur outfit Liberton, Edinburgh University's second string and even becoming assistant coach of Scotland under-19s.

Service only recently returned to the area and was delighted when the role at Basingstoke became available.

"This job came up just at the right time," he said. "It was exactly what I was looking for. I am very, very pleased to have got the job, ecstatic in fact. I have just started taking sessions and I am really enjoying it."

Last season, 'Stoke's community programme concentrated mainly on introducing primary school children to the sport through tag rugby.

While Service intends to continue the good work begun by his predecessors, he is keen to begin running more sessions at secondary level.

"Going into the senior schools is a big positive for the club because we have struggled for players at under-14, 15 and 16 levels," he explained.

"I have had meetings at all of the senior schools about introducing 15-a-side rugby, but will continue with the tag rugby scheme we have in place at primary schools. I am not just going to concentrate on one age group.

"Getting more kids to join the club is a bonus. The main thing is making people more aware of rugby."

The main part of Service's work at sec-ondary schools will involve running after-school rugby clubs. He has attained level two rugby coaching and level one strength and conditioning badges and is also hoping to help out in PE lessons.

"I am also going to be helping out with the curriculum in the secondary schools, asses-sing pupils doing rugby as part of their GCSEs," he said. "I will not be taking over, but have the qualifications to give support to those taking the sessions. Rugby is one of those games that people really enjoy playing but are not qualified to coach.

"I am filling in the gaps for schools who have no particular rugby coach and we have had an excellent response from the schools."

'Stoke chairman Dr Steve Tristram is pleased to have appointed Service to such an important role at the club.

"We are delighted to have appointed him and hope he is as successful as his predecessors," Tristram said. "He is very important because the work that the community coach does, especially in primary schools, is vital in getting the name and profile of the club heightened.

"Cliff is highly regarded and has all of the credentials we were looking for in terms of experience and coaching qualifications.

"He is very enthusiastic and was involved at the club, coaching the academy, before getting this job."

1:07pm Monday 29th September 2008

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