Photos courtesy The Value of Rugby Facebook
Ask any rugby player what they love about the game, and you’ll most likely here: the culture. Rugby culture is centered on a set of core values that makes the game and community unlike any other. In an effort to teach these values and introduce the culture of the game to a younger audience, children can now read about them in the new children’s book, The Value of Rugby.
The Value of Rugby outlines a Rookie Rugby team in a series of stories centered on integrity, respect, solidarity, discipline and passion. Led by their fantastic coach, Coach Valerie, each character’s story highlights a specific value through the adventures of the team throughout their season. If the stories aren’t enough, adults can use the discussion questions to facilitate further learning with their children and athletes.
Author Erin Kennedy is no stranger to the game of rugby. Her background and experience working at the grassroots level of the game inspired her to write the book.
“With all the work I’ve done in the U.S. and Canada, the one resource we were lacking was around the values,” Kennedy explained. “As I started to pull some ideas together, a children’s book felt like a great vessel to introduce the values and the game in a way that children could relate to. There are very few rugby books out there that are written for kids and I just hope that The Value of Rugby helps promote the game and teach some valuable lessons along the way.”
The characters in the book are part of a Rookie Rugby team, playing non-contact rugby with flags. Rookie Rugby is a North American product found in both the U.S. and Canada, and the inclusion in the book brings brand awareness to these programs. The team is made up of a diverse set of children that highlights rugby’s inclusivity with all shapes and sizes, genders, races and abilities.
“I wanted the book to reflect who we are in the U.S. and Canada,” Kennedy added. “I want children to pick up the book and see someone who looks like them, giving them inspiration to join or keep playing the game. I also wanted to create stories that ring true for kids in sports – give them scenarios that are familiar. I felt like this was the best way to help them truly learn the lessons and take something from the stories.”
The Value of Rugby is written for kids aged 8-10 but can be a great book for younger audiences as well. The book is filled with brightly colored pictures and pages where kids can even draw themselves into the stories. The book is available in both hard and soft copies and can be shipped internationally at www.valueofrugby.com. You can also find The Value of Rugby on Instagram and Facebook.