Following the successful British and Irish Lions tour and the England squad’s summer tour rugby is kicking off this season and a great opportunity to get involved.

Craig Foster, community manager at Harlequins, based at the Twickenham Stoop, kicked off the Harlequins rugby amp programme in 2014, which has seen more than 4,900 boys and girls between the six and 18 to give rugby a try.

The community manager has given his top eight reasons why children should consider getting onto the rugby pitch.

Fly-half or flanker - they’ll make friends

Creating a new circle of friends can be a fantastic benefit of team sports, as training together gives kids the opportunity to connect with, and be motivated by, others. Engaging in a team sport is a fantastic way to take kids out of their comfort zone, and help them make new friends that they may have never otherwise met.

On and Off field, their confidence will soar

Working with a group on the field can help kids become more comfortable speaking in front of people, and more confident making new friends.

Scrums help reduce stress

Channelling focus into a high-energy sport like rugby can also allow children to work through any obstacles they face at school or home. Playing sport provides a great opportunity for kids to focus solely on the game, their team, and the task at hand – rather than worrying about any other causes of concern they may have.

Mistakes are molehills, not mountains!

As most parents will attest to, pre-teens can be easily distressed by the thought of making a mistake, especially in front of a group of people. Involvement in team sports provides a safe space for kids to make mistakes and learn from them, as errors are inevitable on the playing field. Making mistakes in a supportive team environment gives young people the chance to build resilience, which will help them throughout their lives. Across all levels of the club, when a player makes a mistake and learns from it, they come back better than ever.

Team drills teach great skills

Whatever your age there’s no feeling like mastering a new skill and, after a few days of ball-handling, tackle technique, and space execution drills your young one will be on top of the world celebrating everything they’ve mastered. Whatever their starting skill level, playing under the watchful eye of a qualified coach will teach kids new skills that they’ll be dying to show off at home and in the schoolyard.

Sport supports studying

Being part of a sports team requires you to be organised, disciplined, and accountable for your actions. A good coach will help kids understand that rugby players aren’t just selected for their playing ability but for their all-round commitment, effort and discipline, whether that is demonstrated on or off the rugby pitch. I’ve seen first-hand how hearing this from a third party they respect, such as a coach, can really drive this message home for kids.

The referee’s decision is final (just like mum’s!)

Involvement in team sports can be a valuable way to teach kids respect for authority, as they quickly learn that what the referee says, goes! Everyone that plays for Harlequins, whether it be as a camp participant or a fully-fledged senior player, learns to play with the Club’s values which includes showing respect for their team-mates, coaches and referees. There is no place for a temper tantrum on the rugby pitch, or once they head home!

Anything boys can do, girls can do too

Women’s rugby is on the up and with the announcement of an all-new women’s competition earlier this year, it’s the perfect time for girls to get involved in the sport. Who knows? Your little girl could be the next captain of the ‘Red Roses’.