Berkshire County RFU are very pleased to announce for the 2020/2021 season a NEW Youth Chairman, Maria Jaffray. Maria has been involved in rugby in Berkshire from a very young age, being one of the first to take part in club mini rugby when it was first introduced by the RFU back in the early 1970s. Maria played her club rugby at Abbey RFC (now Reading Abbey RFC) as a mini and junior and was one of the first to take part in ladies rugby back in the early 1980’s.
Maria moved into coaching, when the first of her 3 sons was old enough to start playing mini rugby at Reading Abbey RFC. She has continued to coach through out this time as well as manage age groups. She took on the role of Club Safeguarding Manager and continued in this role for over 7 years before she became Club Junior Chair.
Maria has been working in Berkshire RFU Youth for the last 4 years and now takes on the lead role as Berkshire RFU Youth Chairman.
Maria is supported by Clive Field, from Bracknell RFC, who organises and administers the Berkshire Youth cups and leagues and the OBB leagues for U16 and U18s. She will also be working with Mike Tewkesbury, Berkshire Coach Development Manager, to deliver quality coaching guidance across Berkshire.
Maria commented on the role “The aim of Berkshire is to support and create pathways for youth players reach their potential and get the best support, to enable them join Berkshire Clubs and the opportunity to achieve representative rugby for the county, area, divisional and national squads. We also want to help our Berkshire Clubs continually improve the quality of their coaches and their ability to deliver innovative and effective sessions for their young people to help to develop them into the best players they can be. Mike Tewkesbury has a key role in this development.”
In her role Maria will assume responsibility for county strategy & budget control across these projects. Her responsibilities include liaising with our South West Divisional CB partners, neighbouring counties who are linked with the Regional Player Pathway Group (RPPG), Jack Pattinson (London Irish DPP Manager) and Patrick O’Grady, Academy Manager London Irish Academy,
She is supported by a growing team of dedicated coaches, administrators and physiotherapists whose names and contact details can be found in the relevant pages of the youth section and whose focus is to help these young men become the best players they can be.
See more details On the Youth Section Pages for Season 2020/21
