Paul Bergman
Head Coach, Arlington (Ill.) Stallions Rugby Club; former Head Coach, Midwest RFU Men's Select Side
General impressions:
This camp was nothing short of spectacular. Every aspect of the experience was at least a 10. I have come away more motivated than ever before not only to improve my own performance as a coach, but to expect the same from my colleagues. USA Rugby would be remiss to not have representation from this program at the table of any discussion of high performance.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Probably the thoroughness and certainly the attention to detail, as far as safety. And the different professionals you need to bring in to do things correctly in terms of sports psychology and performance improvement. The level of technical advice we got can be used on anybody, no matter what level.
On his previously attended coaching clinics:
I went through different camps with USA rugby, most recently a certification program. I've done their teaching clinic four times.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Superb. Motivational, technically sound, interesting, open-minded and answers all your questions. Certainly he has his point of view about how the game should be played and that's wonderful in terms of what he shared with us.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Highly - and certainly one of the first things we are going to do when we get back is to figure out away to send more coaches next year.
Matt Eason
Head Coach, Lampart Junior High School (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Coach Clark was a very dynamic speaker. His delivery was masterfully executed. He transitioned between different media and subject matters with a specific aim, and not just because the formula tells you to transition. It is rare to find people with knowledge that actually know how to convey their knowledge in a useful and efficient manner. He did just that.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I have attended various courses put on by the iRB and USA Rugby. While those courses were very well done and served their purposes, I felt they were incomplete as I came away wanting more information. Coach Clark's course was the full package, as it conveyed not only how to coach, but provided the much-needed technical content of what to coach. The course did an excellent job of providing the tools to identify areas of technical need of the athletes, and how to service those technical needs.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
It will be mandatory for my assistant coaches next year, and I intend to attend again even if the subject matter is exactly the same. There was so much quality information presented that I could probably attend the exact course several times and still walk away with quality lessons.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
Exceptional. The use of any other word or phrase would simply detract from the bottom line. It was exceptional.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
I am fortunate to have been exposed to many of those topics before, but in discussing it with most of the attendees, it was all cutting edge for them. I highly recommend that those sessions are repeated.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Professionalism. There is no excuse for anything less. The rumor prior to camp was that coach Clark was going to open his playbook. He not only did that, but he explained the whys and the hows, and provided food for thought as to what changes for the future are being experimented with right now. He didn't just open his playbook; rather, he shared with us his life's work in a way that we can learn from it and improve ourselves.
The use of incoming freshman during the lab portion was extremely valuable to me. By being able to see what these superstars were deficient at was incredibly illustrative and helpful for me. Had he used only seasoned players, I would not have garnered nearly as much from the lab. Further, the use of the freshman was a perfect way to deliver to us coaches where we are failing and letting our athletes down in our preparation of them for the future. I've been very proud of my track record over the last three years in athlete development; now, I see very clearly the deficiency in my own performance and how to improve.
Brian Gilmartin
Head Coach, Brother Rice High School, Chicago Ill.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Defensive framework, how to make sure that we have the field covered and breakdowns.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've attended three USA rugby coaching clinics. This one was outstanding, probably the best, because it was taught by a coach with a winning tradition and it was very hands-on and practical.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Outstanding. As a coach, he was great.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Highly. It's good. It's short, intense, focused and it covers all aspects of the game. It gives you a framework, at least for high school, because high school is a much more basic game than the collegiate game. So it gives you a good framework to take all this and then boil it down to its simpler aspects and then use that at a high school level.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
It was different. Dr. Wagner had strong opinions. I'll tell the kids about chocolate milk and sleep, so that was practical, too.
Jason Horowitz
Head Coach, Reading Men's Rugby Club (Penn.) and Eastern Penn. College All-Stars
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
The most important thing that I saw is the way coach Clark takes a very systematic approach to coaching, brings the information in and delivers it effectively. He makes it fun for the guys. He's tough on them but he makes it fun. I know it's not about fun all the time, but when you get the guys lit up and engaged, that makes a big difference in the transition of the material from what's coming out of the coach's mouth to what's actually happening on the field. So that was a huge, huge thing that I'll take back. I think I'm pretty good at it, but now I see why I'm not as good as I think I am, and I'll just get better at those things.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I do these things all the time. I've done clinics that are smaller, I've done clinics that are bigger, but this is the first clinic in a while that I've had the opportunity to attend and not be part of coaching or running. So when I look at it, the organization behind it, the material, the way it was delivered, it was just incredibly professional.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Absolutely.
Additional comments:
You can tell why Cal does as well as it does because of this: because of the way that it's presented, because of the respect between the coach and the players and the respect that the program has with the college and vice versa - that's huge.
On the cross-section of teams represented in the group of coaches:
There was something for everyone here. If you can't take 10 good, solid points from this back to your team and implement them immediately, then you had your eyes closed and your ears closed the whole weekend.
Maurice Kauff
Head Coach, St. John's Preparatory School (Mass.)
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've done USA Rugby coaching clinics for four years and they don't come close. The way this was structured and the information that was delivered were much more valuable.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
The thing that really comes through is his overwhelming passion for the game. It's very hard not to get excited about rugby when you hear it from a guy who's made it his life's work. It was pretty inspirational.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
If you take the top-down point of view, anything that we spent time on can be applied to any level of rugby. It's just a question of scaling it to the level of rugby that you're in.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
It's very applicable, because if we're not thinking about those things as coaches then we're not servicing our athletes in a complete manner.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
I'm going to make a list of the takeaways to share with the other coaches I work with and hopefully use that to have a meeting where we talk about what we're going to accomplish for the next season. I'd love to be able to install some of this stuff. I think specifically the way we teach skills needs to be upgraded. The way our athletes go through pre-season fitness needs to be upgraded. And I think we need to be more systematic in our program about how we do things. We have 130 athletes and three layers to our program and one of the challenges we have is making sure there's consistency in each level - at the instructional level, at the JV level and the varsity level, making sure there's consistency in the way we coach everything because we don't want to re-teach stuff as kids progress through the program.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I would absolutely recommend it. I've already talked to Jack about seeing if he's willing to go on the road to New England and do something similar.
Stephen Scotchmer
Head coach, San Diego Wallabies
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
As an expat Australian who grew up at a Jesuit rugby school, I have had the pleasure of being around a lot of quality coaches and thought leaders, but spending a weekend being educated by Jack Clark was the equivalent of going from "schoolboy to World Cup in a weekend.
He must certainly be one of the "fast track" experts. He is taking kids, the majority of which have relatively limited rugby education, and in a single short season producing national champions year after year. The level of program planning, the rugby thought leadership, the communications skills, the technical knowledge and the love and passion for our game was quite inspiring.
I doubt that, other than his peer group of national coaches, anyone could match Jack's teaching abilities. A short weekend provided us a window to his decades of learning.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Absolutely. If you are not prepared to take the opportunity to learn from the best then you should drop rugby and start coaching hopscotch.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
It's very hard in such a short time to achieve success in depth and thoroughness, yet somehow Jack and his team did that. It comes down to the depth of planning and expertise in execution these guys exhibit in everything they do. There wasn't a wasted minute in classroom or field. I was very appreciative of the time and effort that was spent in preparation for our program.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
The points made were well thought through and important leanings.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
I plan to lift the level of planning and communications in our program. Before the program I thought we did a pretty good job. Even after the program I still think we do a good job, but the level of our expectation has a "Learner Driver" plate hanging on the wall. If we can set a track to move toward the level I experienced on the weekend, "good job" will no longer be the way to describe it. I now have an increased expectation of what can be achieved when knowledge and passion are matched with planning and communications.
Saranna Thornton, Ph.D.
Head Coach, Hampden-Sydney College Men's Rugby Club (Va.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He's a fabulous teacher, as good as any professor I've ever seen anywhere, ever, at my college, which is a college that prides itself on good teaching. In college itself, in graduate school, I would put him in the top five I've ever had.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
Learning about chocolate milk was very helpful: they serve it in the dining hall and I now know to encourage my guys to drink it. The information about not doing static stretching was useful, because that's what we've been doing. And I'm rethinking now the conditioning of my athletes because I have been an LSD [Long, Slow, Distance] kind of person for a long time and now I'm starting to rethink how to get my guys in shape, doing more sprinting and ladder runs and things like that.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've been to two USA Rugby coaching clinics, but this was really the best of all the ones I've been to. The most recent USA Rugby coaching clinic was last summer and one of things they focused on a lot was teaching. While Jack talked about how to teach and how to explain things to the players through demonstrations which were useful, I think there was a better balance at this clinic.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I would recommend this in a heartbeat to everyone I know, absolutely. I go to academic conferences all the time where we do professional development for faculty, how to become a better professor, and even compared to those professional development opportunities I would rank this ahead of any of those I went to in terms of teaching professional development to somebody. Being a coach is a lot like being a teacher. It's very, very similar to being a college professor.
On the first thing she plans to implement based on what she learned at the clinic:
I'm going to implement everything. The most useful thing that I learned was how to teach decision-making. It's really a decision tree, and that's going to be especially useful.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
It was great. There was just the right amount of material covered Friday night; people were coming in from the East Coast and going past nine o'clock would be going past midnight for those people. The separation between moving from the classroom to the field - it was good to not be doing one thing for too long. Even coaches have short attention spans, so I thought that was very nicely organized.
Matt Baier
Cathedral Catholic High School (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He was a very effective teacher. As a government teacher at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego, I can see he uses a lot of good teaching techniques, which I assume would come naturally to such a successful coach. I definitely learned a lot; it was engaging. I've been involved in other coaching clinics and have been bored to death, so it was definitely nice to have someone that was a good speaker instead of just being knowledgeable.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I would recommend it because it's valuable, but I don't know if I would want my opponents to have access to the same knowledge. Realistically I would recommend it, but it was such a benefit that I'm also afraid to play against people who have been to the same clinic.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
I thought it was very thorough, very detailed, so much so that I would think it would be valuable to re-experience the exact same clinic next year even if the curriculum was the same, just because it was so packed with valuable information. It was more detailed than I thought it would be when I saw the wide breadth of the topics that were going to be covered. I was glad and it was valuable how much we learned about each topic.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
The football program at my school runs a similar high-performance program as a real competitive football program, so a lot of the sport science was similar. We have a trainer, and we talk about a lot of the same dynamic warm-ups; that wasn't new. But some of the nutritional aspect was new and we don't have a nutritionist, so that discussion was very valuable to me.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
The thing that keeps coming back to me in my mind, because of the kids that I coach - 99 percent of which have never played rugby before in their lives -a lot of Clark's attacking and defending plans I'm afraid are too detailed for the kids that I'm starting with, but the thing that I will definitely use are the four zones of the field that he discussed. That is something that he talked about, the zones and the menu options, that I would be able to implement right away with kids even that are relatively new to the sports. I think it would be rather advantageous to them, my players, as well as a team against opponents who are not using that same strategy. It seemed like that was a good basic foundation no matter the level of my rugby team.
David Cingolani
Head Coach, Marin Highlanders Rugby Club (Calif.)
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Probably everything - the decision making, the tactics, the menu list, the preseason, the training; everything is just absolutely tremendous. This is the standard by which we all are trying to model.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He's very motivating and he inspires a student to absorb the information that he's presenting.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
We don't have the resources of a great university like Cal does, so we try to take the best of what the community can offer in terms of trainers, doctors and sports nutritionists on a volunteer basis. There are little bits and pieces we can try to implement that the kids can do themselves. Those are all things that we try to use.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've attended the USA Rugby coaching certification clinic, more generally about how to coach, styles of coaching and the rules of the game. This is more specific to being a better teacher of the game for your club. The way the Cal coaches open the vault was very interesting and appreciated.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I would recommend this every day of the week and twice on Sunday. In fact, my coaching staff is now going to come every year, no matter what.
Greg Horton
Coach, Hacienda Heights Phantoms (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Coach Clark was a great teacher because it was obvious that he loves the sport of rugby. As he started talking about the things he wanted us to learn, he began to get more and more excited until it became infectious. I was inspired.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I have attended USA Rugby clinics but after attending the Cal clinic, I have the standard to compare all else to.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Not only will I recommend it to all of the other coaches on my club, I will definitely attend again and again.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
As a first-year coach, I was really nervous about the clinic being way above my level of experience. But the staff at the clinic made it so I walked away with a tremendous new knowledge base, and from the comments I heard from the experienced coaches, they learned a lot, too.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
This was another area that completely blew away all of the old concepts I had about nutrition and working out. It could obviously be a complete course in itself.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
It would be impossible to take away only one thing. The other two coaches from my club and I have so many things that we are going to implement, and everything will take our club to the next level: the medical pre-screening, the individual player files, the video and analysis and so much more.
Chris Nolan
Head Coach, Berkeley Rhinos (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Jack and his staff were great teachers. He shows a love of the game that has translated to his great success at Cal.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
This was my first clinic since the early '80s. I will and have already recommended it.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
I was very impressed with the detail, from the organizational chart to the tactical map.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
The sport science was an eye opener since I am one who has always led the static stretching drills. I will have to rethink that. The Berkeley Rhinos will get the video going somehow this coming season and the tactical map of the field will be introduced to define what should happen in different parts of the field.
Additional comments:
I had a great time learned a lot. Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?
Alan Petty
Head Coach and Director of Athletics, Elsie Allen High School (Calif.)
General statement:
Coaches Clark and Billups were excellent. They covered the sport from several different levels, making it accessible to coaches of every level. The sports science component was fantastically useful; if that had been the topic of the entire weekend it would have been worth the trip. I would and will recommend this camp to every coach I know.
Michael Sagehorn
Head Coach, De La Salle High School
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Jack's always been very open about what it takes to have a successful program. The recipe of how to build a program - the book was open. It was a little flooring. His delivery style is direct.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I'm a course leader for the USA Rugby Series of Introducing and Developing Rugby, and I've gone through the old Level II program, and participated in a number of conferences. The theme of the weekend at Cal was improving excellence. We're faced with a challenge in high school rugby. We want to grow the game. What coach Clark and coach Billups did is simply tell us that these are the quality issues that we need to pay attention to: the medical treatment, the focus on appearance, the year-round fitness. We need to up our game as high-school sports coaches to make a go of it. It was a good message.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
Some of the myths that Dr. Wagner talked about challenged some the conventional thinking generationally that's out there among rugby men and women. That's all good knowledge. Parents look at us as experts, and not having that knowledge is a liability.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
We're going to have an organizational chart, put together a year-round training program and tackle the video analysis with a lot more rigor.
Mario Rey
Coach, Hacienda Heights Phantoms (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He is one of the most extraordinary coaches that I've ever come into contact with. His personality is awesome. He is not only a great coach with knowledge of the game, but his personality and his teaching style are outstanding. I enjoyed it as a coach and a student. I really enjoyed him as a coach.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've been to the USA Rugby course, but this is the first clinic where I learned concepts of rugby. USA Rugby taught principles of coaching and Jack Clark's actually taught the game of rugby.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
The detail was broken down really well. The framework, the principles he taught were clear and well put together to help you better understand the game.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
The way you can fit nutrition in with a young person and help the children recuperate from a hard, physical practice was good. How the dynamic warmups were really meant to get them ready and prepared for practice, and the concepts about rest for the youth and the things they need to make them better athletes was very well prepared by the doctor.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Defensive strategy, not the man on man but the team defense, where everybody takes a space and his principles on the defense, the launching of the defense, the breaking down and switching - that was one of the principles that I learned that I think I could use more. I will definitely implement that in my game.
Ramón Samaniego
Head Coach, San Diego Mustangs
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
As always, Jack proved to be captivating, informative and well organized. The material covered was extremely helpful in rounding out the areas where my team and club are in need of improvement. I brought two of my other coaches and it was great to see their enthusiasm grow as Jack spelled out the various aspects of the Cal way. It has us returning to San Diego quite excited to implement several new ideas that were learned over the course of the weekend.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I have attended the basic USA Rugby Coaching accreditation course. This was totally different yet proved to be informative and time well spent. Comparing the two is difficult due the difference in curriculum.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Absolutely. Jack's methodology and approach to the game from all aspects of the program would benefit any coach. I will ask many of our club coaches to make the investment of their time next year due to the knowledge gain and confidence one gets from such a rich and impactful weekend of learning.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
No doubt that areas of the game were covered that initially I thought were going to be boring and somewhat trivial. Boy, was I wrong. The first night's topics proved to be hugely beneficial for us as a club in regards to improvements we can make in media relations, record keeping and more.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
Dr. Wagner was excellent and provided valuable and proven techniques for fitness training in the modern game. His presentation was fresh and, as he said, based on science. My coaches and I learned a ton.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
My coaches and I spoke as we flew home and mapped out several areas that we will address right away. The first is to establish an individual player profile and to include the pertinent and informative information discussed and presented by Jack. We have this to some degree in a team binder, but now we have to segment that out to an individual player profile folder. This is something we will get going on right away.
Ned Schroeder
Assistant Coach, Pittsburg RFC (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Very effective. What was most admirable was the manner in which he treated the coaches as peers. Passing on this invaluable information to us was well worth the time and effort, but Jack made us all feel that we were colleagues.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I have attended many coaches' clinics for coaching soccer. This clinic was far superior in terms of putting out the most information in the shortest period of time. There was not a minute of wasted time. Even the down time was effective for meeting other coaches and getting their perspectives. I have nothing but high praise for the program, particularly since this was the first time that it had been given by Jack Clark and his coaches.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Absolutely. From the overview to the minutiae which was then all tied in at the end, the value is in the approach to coaching.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
As an assistant coach, I hope to utilize statistics and video as well as to implement more drills on defense and tackling. From my perspective, I was using this clinic to find how I could be more useful to my head coach and to the team.
John VanDerWal
Assiatant Coach, Marin Highlanders (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He presents in a clear, concise manner. I felt like a peer in pursuit of creating an environment for the players to succeed on and off the field.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
The USA Rugby Level I Certification Course focuses on how to develop and present practice plans, the basics of the game, and provides a framework for coaching. Jack and Tom presented Cal's approach to rugby, on and off the field, including examples of drills, rugby tactics, administrative issues and a technical framework for both defense and offense.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I would recommend it to new and experienced coaches. Cal's camp provides solid direction regarding tactics, technical analysis and implementing a Cal program that took years to develop.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
I was pleased with the level of detail in the areas selected by Jack. Everyone gained knowledge that they can use with their programs. It is an affirmation of the direction the Marin Highlanders are going under Coach Dave Cingolani, a former Cal player.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
They're a necessary part of any rugby program. I am drinking more chocolate milk now!
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Different rucking technique, a physical therapist at every contact session and not just games), defensive alignment drills, a new passing drill, the use of menus based on field position and decision making tools.
Andy Armstrong
De La Salle High School (Calif.)
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Just having a comprehensive plan as far as defensively making sure that we have the game plan right, that we have safety checked off for the players, not only teaching them to tackle effectively but to tackle safely, and helping them get organized on the field. And then on, the flipside of that, taking that organization and applying it offensively as well: areas on the field, what do we need to think about, how do we communicate with one another and what are our checkpoints?
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
As a teacher he is very thorough. He is very mindful, very thoughtful of what he is trying to convey. He sits down with his coaches and staff prior to the classroom session, he knows full well what to outline, how he is going to do it and explain it. He is organized. Understanding how he is communicating and how he operates at this level, he was a fantastic teacher for me as a player here at Cal - just a level of coaching I really haven't seen since. I have some experience abroad, which was fantastic. But it's how he applies the lessons in the game to life, to help you understand why they are valuable, and how clear and focused he is on his points and drives them home, emphasizing them repeatedly. He is very good, very thorough, delivers a very clear message. You can't help but learn from him because he is very effective, not only as a communicator but also as a coach.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
The game has evolved and Dr. Wagner helped us understand that sports science has evolved significantly over the last five years. Being able to take those lessons right from the experts back to our clubs is not only going to make us safer and more effective, but also result in more fun for the student-athlete.
On whether he came out of this experience more empowered as a coach:
Speaking for myself, and I think I can safely say for the rest of group, absolutely. Just helping us to take a step back and understand that coaching is all these aspects: media, parents, communication with players. All of these things need to be in place for us to be effective coaches. And also making sure we have that plan going into the training sessions, having a plan going into the season to deal with all of those people in the support personnel that are surrounding the student-athlete. Absolutely, you have to understand what the big picture is and set role and responsibility accordingly not just as a head coach but also as supporting staff and those people you are going to interface with throughout the season.
John Foster
Head Coach, Peninsula Seahawks (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Just like he is as a coach - very focused, very detailed and very analytical. Just watching him go through and explain his analysis of the game, whether it's game stats or the mechanics of tackling, reminded me of how much there is to teach our young players.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I definitely would. The specifics we went through were helpful for the activities covered, but the bigger message that I took from the camp is that we need to teach the game in a more structured, scientific way if we want to produce good rugby players. Right now in our league, it's just dads teaching whatever they remember of the techniques they learned 20 years ago, and I feel like we need to do much better for our players.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
The level of detail was fine, given the breadth that Coach Clark was trying to cover. We could easily have spent the entire weekend on one or two of the many topics covered such as game strategy or defensive play. I'm wondering what the thoughts are for subsequent years' camps - would there be an overview camp and then perhaps a session devoted to detailed study of a particular topic, or would next year's camp be an overview similar to this year substituting some different modules? I would definitely want to attend again and want to know how the staff is thinking about providing some different materials for return attendees.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
I thought it was great, a dramatic departure from how most of us think about training, as you could tell by the comments that came up during the session. I am planning to make an appointment to see Dr. Wagner this week both for my high-school age son to evaluate his training, and to put together a program for my middle school rugby team.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Learning to recognize the situation on the field and having kids think about what they will do based on the situation rather than just reacting; get them started with thinking about the bigger picture of how the game works. I'm so fired up about teaching these skills.
Mateo Medrano
Assistant Coach, Marin Highlanders (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He came across as a very good teacher to me for a couple reasons. One is that he was very clear in his instructions and directives. He stayed on topic and asked for understanding, even amongst the coaches. And watching him interact with the players, you can see that he's doing the same thing. In coaching, managing or teaching, it's easy to give a vague direction and expect a specific result, but he's very specific. One of the things I learned from watching him is that his directives are very clear to the team. He doesn't leave anything vague.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've been through two USA rugby coaches clinics. I was in the sales industry, so I've been to a lot of corporate training. My parents were both teachers, and I would say that my experience in this coaching clinic, if I had to grade it, would be an A+. I thought it was very well run.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
From the administrative stuff with the program that we went over Friday night, all the way to watching coach Clark interact with the players on Saturday and Sunday, and even in my conversations with him individually, he'd listen and he was very specific in his answers to me. The whole weekend was like that for me: it was very clear, there was nothing vague.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
One of the things about this weekend is the resources that we have as a high school team and an all-volunteer program. You've got to take the best practices and figure out how it works for your particular program. But I think there were some good ideas on how to bridge that gap between Cal having a tremendous amount of resources and our program having all volunteer resources. I think there were some pretty good ideas on how to bridge that.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
There are a couple of tactical things that we're going to implement. One of the things, I would say, that we would change is how the guys present the ball when they go down into a tackle. We're going to replicate more of Cal's rucking technique. The way that coach Clark and coach Billups have it, where they have the guys step over the tackled ball-carrier and build, with a wide base, one foot past the ball-carrier that's something we're going to introduce this year.
Additional comments:
There was not a single thing that we can't take and apply to our program and I think the same will be true for a lot of those high school coaches. I thought it was a very beneficial thing, it was absolutely worth the money and even if some of the tactical stuff was gone over next year and the program was 99 percent the same, I would actually contemplate going again.
If we could get as many coaches attending that clinic as we have players - because we encourage our guys to go to the players' camp -it would increase the level of not only the competition on the field between rugby teams, but the strength of the programs off the field. There was a lot you could take away and implement right away and that is hugely beneficial.
Will Tabor
Coach, U-19 Hacienda Heights Phantoms and LA Rebellion RFC
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Jack was an awesome teacher. Informative, motivating, clear and concise, and he brought reality and passion to many of the subjects being brought out. I left this camp recognizing that I was the benefactor of learning and hearing one of the great US statesmen in the sport of rugby, both for our sport and country. I could not have been more impressed from meeting anyone else whom I admire in this sport.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
This clinic far and away was the most superior clinic I have ever been too. I liked Jack's delivery, his passion, and most of all, I appreciate the fact that he was not afraid to share some of his strategy and coaching secrets, in an effort to make his points. This was a class presentation all the way around, from Tom's assistance, to the other experts he brought in to add credence to the points being espoused.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Yes, because it will make others better coaches, which will only help our sport and our players in the U.S. I have to say this was by far the best clinic of any kind for rugby that I have ever been to. The weekend was informative, enjoyable and refreshing in the scope of detail brought to us coaches. It only proves we have a long way to go, but it also shows we can do this with the right outline and motivation. Jack Clark and his staff provided us all this leadership and knowledge as well as anyone could.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
The level of detail was much more than I expected. Some of it may have even been a bit advanced or heady for me. The on-field drills and strategy sessions were invaluable, and the classroom details and examples given were as clear as one could ask for in discussing many of these subjects.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
They followed much of what I already knew, this being an area I have been involved in myself for several years. But I still learned a few new things and much that was presented helped reinforced some things I believed with regard to stretch and warm-up preparation, supplements to consider for peak performance and more.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
I plan to create a coaches strategy outline, much of it derived from the things Jack presented in this clinic. We also plan to use many of the club organizational items in our club criteria for achievement in this upcoming 15s season, next year and beyond.
Matty Sandoval
Coach, San Diego Mustangs
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
It kind of knocked my socks off, how well this was put together, the level of detail, the comprehensiveness of the materials and it was just absolutely top to bottom, as Jack says, a buttoned-up program.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He's charming. I knew him by reputation only. I read the article in Sports Illustrated in 2002, and I expected him to much less charming, much more wound up. He just was wonderful and humble, a great communicator.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
We can't wait to meet over coffee and put a whole season package together. The things I thought would bore me, which was the organizational stuff, that kind of thing, I can't wait to really start wrapping our energies around. We're in the middle of our summer sevens right now, we don't start our actual season until January, and I feel like those six months we're going to stay on it and hit the ground running after the high school football season ends.
Aaron Graeb
Head Coach, Southside Rebels, Roncalli High School (Indianapolis)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
With his level of expertise, he was great. On the pitch is where he really shined, because it showed us how he reacts and interacts with players.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've been to all the USA Rugby coaching clinics - I, II and III - and the new CPD [Continuous Personal Development] course. I got a lot more out of this than any of those.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
The level of detail in the clinic was just awesome. In the two full days, we focused on so many parts that he could throw in and still make us learn. A lot of the things Jack covered were things we've known but he's taken them to so much higher of a level.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
Some of the comments and expressions on the other coaches' faces, it was funny to see how they reacted. But it's science. It's proven. It's a fact.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
We're going to focus on a lot of the tackling situations and taking it one step further: what to do with the ball, placing it further away, doing the jackknife. Wow, his way was just one step ahead.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
I highly recommend it for the level of knowledge you come out with. The different levels of schools and coaches, that was nice to see. No one had to be there; they were there because they wanted to learn.
Andy Ramsay
Head Coach, Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby (Wash.)
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
Definitely give my team the menu of options to use and not just throw them out there and let them do it on the fly. They're going to get a bit more structure.
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
Excellent, very easy to understand, very much like coaches I had so it took me back about twenty years. Simple, easy to follow and very direct, which is what we all need to be.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
Having been to two USA rugby clinics, this one was more user friendly as far as the drills. That is one of my biggest challenges is finding drills with progressions. How do you get from A to Z and what is in between. This one was very useful for that. And that is one of the things I got out of it.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Yes, definitely. The management, and the whole experience, was very well organized. There was excellent caretaking by Jerry Figone and that made it very easy for us. It wasn't intimidating at all and very relaxing. To rub shoulders with other coaches and bump some ideas off them was very beneficial.
Matt Taylor
Head Coach, Lamorinda Youth RFC (Calif.)
On Jack Clark as a teacher:
He's very focused, energetic and effective. We covered a very large body of information in a relatively short period. Jack effectively challenged us to help take high school and youth rugby to a higher level, which will benefit the growth and improvement of all U.S. rugby.
On how the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic compares to previous experiences:
I've attended several and this was probably the best organized and most comprehensive.
On whether he recommends the Cal Rugby Youth and High School Coaches Clinic for other coaches:
Absolutely. We need to bring high school rugby up to the standard of all sports, and this helps provide the tools.
On the level of detail and thoroughness:
Very good, particularly given the limited time frame.
On the topics of sports science and high performance that were covered:
Excellent, but they raise a bunch of questions about implementation in terms of cost and time for high school athletes.
On the first thing he plans to implement based on what he learned at the clinic:
We need to raise our standards across the board and I think it starts with a more sophisticated understanding of the modern game and how to coach it. We need to have all of our coaches on board with a consistent program. A specific item to implement would be the video analysis, including stat tracking. We do some of this on an ad-hoc basis and should formalize it next season.
