Book your place now on one of our eight mini rugby coaching conferences across the country and help develop your young stars.Not only will you learn the best ways to develop your players, you will also have a chance to get hold of Scottish Rugby’s new publication on coaching tag and mini rugby. The resource supports the first two stages of Scottish Rugby’s Long Term Player Development Strategy. The conferences will take place throughout September and November and, like the publication, are absolutely free! The main topics to be covered are ‘coaching the whole child’, ‘small sided games for young players’, ‘developing skills for players’ and many more. Highly experienced coaches have been confirmed to speak at the events. John Schropfer who has over 20 years experience working for the WRU, has coached at every level of the game from primary school children at both club and schools through to  the Welsh national team and who now runs his own sports coaching consultancy will speak at all the conferences. Ian Stafford will also speak at the Tayside and Fife, Edinburgh, Glasgow North and Central conferences, with Lynn Evans presenting at the Edinburgh and Tayside and Fife dates. Stafford and Evans have both worked with the RFU in senior coaching positions in their career. Furthermore Stafford was head of coach development for Sports Coach UK until 2009 and is currently working on a book about ‘Coaching Children in Sport’. In addition to this he has also published another book on ‘Long Term Athlete Development’ and various other programmes and resources for the Certificate in Mentoring Sport. Evans, as a presenter, has delivered sessions in South Africa, USA, Hong Kong and many more countries as well as for the RFU. Through a close connection with the French Rugby Federation and renowned French coach Pierre Villepreux, he completed a study on the French playing method. Evans has also produced coaching resources including ‘Understanding the Moving Game’ CD in 2004 and ‘Disorder to Order – a study of game and player centered coaching’ DVD in 2008.Scottish Rugby’s UKCC Development Manager, Jock Peggie, said: “I’m really looking forward to the coaching conferences because they are following a pledge we made when we launched our Long Term Player Development Strategy to provide high quality coaching resources to all coaches across all levels of the game in Scotland. “The conferences are a fantastic opportunity for coaches to hear expert deliverers and practicing coaches’ share their years of experiences and to see our new rugby resources being brought to life.” For more information please contact Coach Development Officer, Alex Edmonstone, by email [email protected] or by phone, 07764 178 936.Or to book your place on one of the courses contact Coach Development Administrator, Jennifer Dailly, by email [email protected] or by phone, 0131 346 5167.The schedule for the conferences is as follows: Region   Venue  Date  Borders Melrose RFC, The Greenyards Sunday 4 September Glasgow South Ayr RFC, Millbrae Sunday 11 September Tayside & Fife Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross  Saturday 17 September Edinburgh Murrayfield Sunday 18 September Grampian Ellon Academy Saturday 24 September Highlands & Islands  Venue TBC Sunday 5 November Glasgow North Venue TBC Saturday 19 November Central Stirling County RFC, Bridgehaugh Sunday 20 NovemberThe day will follow similar proceedings as below:09.30-09.40 – Welcome and introductions09.40-11.00 – Coaching the whole child12.00-13.00 – Lunch (provided)13.00-14.00 – Positive Coaching Scotland14.00-14.30 – Break/general discussion14.30-16.00 – Developing skills of young players16.00-16.30 – Q & A With all presenters16.30-16.45 – Wrap up & close