Coyotes Rugby Athletic Association (CRAA)

 

Focused as a community program like soccer and baseball, community rugby provides a safe, friendly environment where kids can learn the basics of rugby: running, handling, passing, team work, positioning, communication and, where age appropriate, tackling and the more developed skills needed to play.

Rugby is the number one contact team sport in the world and has been played competitively for more than 120 years in Alberta. 

The Rugby World Cup is an international competition held every four years and enjoys the world’s second largest TV audience (behind The World Cup - soccer) with more than 3 billion viewers. 

Rugby Sevens is the latest team sport to be included in the Olympics debuting in 2016 in Brazil.

More high school athletes play rugby than any other team sport in the ASAA, across Alberta. Far from being a marginal sport, it is a global activity that players continue to enjoy for many years after leaving school and where they make friends for life. 

Statistics demonstrate that rugby is a far safer sport than hockey and football, combined, and the cost is one of the lowest for team sport in Cochrane. 

Rugby in Cochrane started as an indoor program for youth and retains it's origins with a regular Friday evening* slot at SLSFSC, playing rugby sevens. In addition the outdoor, contact and tackle version of Cochrane rugby has produced some outstanding results. Players have represented Alberta at the Under 16 and Under 18 levels 4 times in the last 6 years, with the Under 16 captain coming from Cochrane 3 times in the past 5 years. 
* Friday evening Adult Drop In sessions have ceased but will resume again in the Fall. 

In 2010 Brandon Harrison captained the team at Rugby Canada nationals while Mac Tivendale and Rhys Davies were his predecessors in 2009 and 2008. In 2011, Dave Evans a player who learnt his rugby with the Coyotes and the combined Bow Valley/Cochrane High School team, made the Team Canada U17 team and Connor Turner, the son of our current head coach, Adrian Turner, made the Team Canada U17 reserve team. Connor has since been offered a place at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island.

Many other athletes from the Cochrane area and the Coyotes team have also gained Provincial honors in the period since Community Rugby was founded in 2005. The goal of the organization is to encourage participation by the parents as well as the players and opportunities to coach and support the teams and program are always open. 

 
Photos: Coyotes Summer BBQ at Cochrane Ranch House

Further Information:
RFU Parents Guide to Rugby
Bow Valley Rugby Club

MISSION AND VISION

We believe that all kids should experience the positive benefits of playing rugby and that through their participation they will learn and appreciate the values of:

           - Co-operation
           - Team play and friendship
           - Commitment to goals
           - Personal excellence
           - Healthy competition
           - Self esteem

We value and advocate the benefits of kids playing rugby in the pursuit of lifelong health and wellness.

Follow us @CoyotesRugbyAB  Coyotes Rugby Athletic Association