The pandemic has shifted Australian rugby, causing it to focus on the aspects of the sport that matter the most, including fellowship, player engagement, and rugby’s ability to foster communities. All of these are hallmarks of grassroots rugby. Today we speak with Queensland Reds’ General Manager for Community Rugby, Gaven Head, about his role in promoting on-the-ground rugby.
We open our conversation by chatting about how tackling COVID challenges has allowed him to accelerate the changes that he’s wanted to make. After sharing his team’s successes in maintaining participation rates, Gaven talks about how grants have empowered local rugby communities, leading to more players and coaches taking to the field. Considering his 2006 consulting work with Rugby Australia, we ask him if his recommendations were implemented. His answers touch on the executive turnover at that time, along with the sport’s general struggles with recruiting and retaining a customer base. We then discuss the incredible diversity of community rugby, the resilience of smaller clubs, and how rugby organisations and grant-funded programs are trying to align rugby with the grassroots game.
A key initiative, we talk about how Queensland is raising mental health awareness before diving into Gaven’s take on the support that community rugby needs right now. Tune in to hear more about how Gavin is tackling the challenges of community rugby.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The pandemic has shifted Australian rugby, causing it to focus on the aspects of the sport that matter the most, including fellowship, player engagement, and rugby’s ability to foster communities. All of these are hallmarks of grassroots rugby. Today we speak with Queensland Reds’ General Manager for Community Rugby, Gaven Head, about his role in promoting on-the-ground rugby.
We open our conversation by chatting about how tackling COVID challenges has allowed him to accelerate the changes that he’s wanted to make. After sharing his team’s successes in maintaining participation rates, Gaven talks about how grants have empowered local rugby communities, leading to more players and coaches taking to the field. Considering his 2006 consulting work with Rugby Australia, we ask him if his recommendations were implemented. His answers touch on the executive turnover at that time, along with the sport’s general struggles with recruiting and retaining a customer base. We then discuss the incredible diversity of community rugby, the resilience of smaller clubs, and how rugby organisations and grant-funded programs are trying to align rugby with the grassroots game.
A key initiative, we talk about how Queensland is raising mental health awareness before diving into Gaven’s take on the support that community rugby needs right now. Tune in to hear more about how Gavin is tackling the challenges of community rugby.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: