Andy Gomarsall

Rugby teaches a lot of things fundamental to a successful school life – respect, team work, behaviour, discipline, focus – it’s a real multi-skilled discipline. But for me the bigger picture is really about attitude. During my coaching sessions with the School of Hard Knocks programme I have seen the attitude of the kids I’m working with improve immensely. And this impact goes way beyond the pitch, with development outside the classroom leading to improvements within lessons.

I got involved after seeing the School of Hard Knocks featured on TV (The School of Hard Knocks is currently being featured on the Sky Sports 1 channel), and I loved the programme. I’d grown up with my father starting a mini-rugby club in Bicester, and had seen the power that rugby has to change the lives of young people. That’s what we’re trying to do through the School of Hard Knocks. The young people on the programme are given responsibility, they get a chance to practice leadership and how to communicate with one another, while becoming better team players.

One reason why rugby isn’t a popular sport in East London is that it can be hard to find good facilities – that’s why as part of the programme we’re looking to increase participation in the clubs that are there. And what better time is there to get more kids interested in sport than with the Olympic and Paralympic Games just round the corner? We try to make the programme enjoyable, I know myself that if I don’t enjoy something then it’s not going to work, and the kids needs to be willing to give it a chance.

We’re very grateful to Nomura for giving kids the chance to try the sport through their support of the programme. Links between businesses and schools are very important – having Nomura volunteers out on the pitch running around alongside the young people gives them a chance to interact, to ask them about their jobs and see what sort of future they could have. It gives the kids confidence. And it’s enjoyable for the volunteers too who get the chance to get out of the office and put something back into the community.

If you were to ask me what legacy I want to see from the School of Hard Knocks programme it would be to see increased participation in rugby among young people. It really is a game for all shapes and sizes, boys and girls. We’re trying to cut down the barriers - rugby can appear to be a complicated game, with lots of rules but we’re trying to make it more simple. At the end of the day it’s about going onto the pitch as a team & enjoying it!