Perthshire Eagles, working in partnership with Scottish Women’s Rugby and Scottish Rugby, have honoured 32 teenagers who have completed a sports coaching course with a difference – the first of its type in Scotland. The teenage boys and girls, aged between 15 and 18, all pupils at high schools in Perth and Kinross, are not only now equipped with a UK-recognised coaching qualification, but they are also in the vanguard of Premier Division 3 club Perthshire’s drive to excite more primary school-aged children in their area to take up rugby.Perthshire Eagles, working in partnership with Scottish Women’s Rugby and Scottish Rugby, have honoured 32 teenagers who have completed a sports coaching course with a difference – the first of its type in Scotland. The teenage boys and girls, aged between 15 and 18, all pupils at high schools in Perth and Kinross, are not only now equipped with a UK-recognised coaching qualification, but they are also in the vanguard of Premier Division 3 club Perthshire’s drive to excite more primary school-aged children in their area to take up rugby. Lindsey Booth, Scottish Women’s Rugby Union Development Officer, said: “Working in partnership with the Perthshire Eagles’ Centre of Excellence, this course enabled young people to become more involved in their rugby clubs and coaching rugby in their local communities. “It also gives young people an opportunity to consider coaching as a career and may help to encourage more applications to follow the Scottish Vocational Qualification as a community coach.” The students have been integral to Perthshire Eagles’ delivery of rugby to primary schools in the area. Other clubs, including Blairgowrie and Crieff & Strathearn, are also set to benefit. Each week the students attended training for two hours, with “homework” on top of that as they planned their training sessions. They will now coach at Perthshire’s Easter camps and run after-school or lunchtime clubs in local primary schools Jock Peggie, Scottish Rugby’s UK Coaching Certificate Development Manager, presented the youth coaching course certificates last week. Pilot tutor training to enable youngsters in other parts of Scotland to become involved in the new course, begins later this month.