Glasgow City Schools Finals hailed a success

The Glasgow City Schools Rugby Finals took place at Cartha Queen’s Park last week with 12 schools fielding 22 teams for the competition. Shawlands Academy won the competition with the finals designed to be the showpiece event in the Glasgow Life’s school rugby calendar.The event provided boys from S1 (under-13), S2 (under-14) and girls from S1-S3 (under-15) with an opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities, which they have been working on through rugby development programmes from Scottish Rugby, Glasgow Sport and Glasgow Council.A number of schools have worked with such development programmes throughout this year, with an ever increasing number eager to raise rugby delivery within school communities in the city of Glasgow.Rugby development officers, based across Glasgow and funded in partnership between Scottish Rugby, Glasgow Life and Scottish Government, through its CashBack for Communities programme, have worked with a team of coaching and teaching staff to deliver a wide range of rugby based activities throughout primary and secondary schools in Glasgow.Councillor Archie Graham, deputy leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of Glasgow Life, said: “We have a wonderful partnership with Scottish Rugby and Glasgow City Council which provides school children with access to partner clubs, like Cartha Queen’s Park, so they can be all that they can be.In many cases, involvement with rugby has diverted people from chaotic lifestyles to leading a positive lifestyle through the medium of rugby.Thomas Davidson, Glasgow Life rugby development officer, said: “The teachers and volunteers within schools across Glasgow have engaged with the development programmes across the city and rugby is now growing as a result of our work with Scottish Rugby.”Dominic Dynowski, science teacher from All Saints Secondary School, said: “Our school is not traditionally a rugby playing area but we have worked with Scottish Rugby and Glasgow Sport’s development programmes to ensure we encourage our pupils to play the sport and engage with wider community clubs, such as Cartha Queen’s Park or Hillhead Jordanhill.”Robbie Renwick, head of Shawlands Academy’s School of Rugby programme, said: “We have been running a School of Rugby for four years and it has gone from strength to strength within our curriculum.We model our rugby values on those of Scottish Rugby’s and we have noticed improved behaviour within our pupils at Shawlands Academy, whether it be an increase in focus, skill-set or confidence.”Shawlands Academy is one of 30 Schools of Rugby, across the country, which receive funding from the CashBack for Communities programme.