With the end of the 2023/24 season comes the end of the youth pathway for 20 of our (Boys & Girls) Colts players. Following an outstanding season with our boys Colts winning the National Cup and our girls and women’s section going from strength to strength we take an opportunity to welcome them to senior rugby and celebrate the success of our player pathway at Dorking RFC.
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Colts Graduating:
Congratulations to the players below from both our boys & girls Colts sections:
- Asha Khan
- Ayaan Agarwal
- Alex Power
- Calum Maddick
- Charlie Nichol
- Christian Styles
- Dan Gale
- Dave Terry
- Duncan Stott
- Ed Tyrell
- Jamie Mottashed
- Lewis Gover
- Matt Young
- Ollie Johnson
- Roisin Furlong
- Sam Whittaker
- Scott Bloomfield
- Tom James
- Will Darbishire
- Will Simpson
A Testament to Our Player Pathway
Over the past seven years, numerous individuals at the club have dedicated significant time and effort to developing our player pathway, and it is incredibly rewarding to see the results of this hard work. Our boys Colts team winning the National Cup this season is a testament to this, along with several players, such as Scott Bloomfield, Tom James, and Will Darbishire, already beginning their transition to senior rugby. We are already witnessing these talented players seamlessly integrating into the senior squad.
The Dorking Player Pathway
From Under 13s (January onwards)
- Transition into the Youth Development Programme (YDP)
- Training once a week with a Level 3 non-parent coach focused on skill development
Under 16s (January onwards)
- Transition into the Colts Development Programme (CDP)
- Training twice a week (Mondays & Thursdays) with an emphasis on physical, tactical, technical, and social development
Players Reach 17 Years of Age
- Director of Rugby (DoR) and Senior Squad Coaches assess players' physical, tactical, technical, and social development
- Selected under 17’s players are invited to train with the Senior Squads during pre-season
- Throughout the final Colts season, suitable players are invited to play for Senior teams as fixtures allows
Players Graduate from the Youth System
- Players join Senior Squads and continue their development with support from our Senior coaching team
- Under 22s fixtures during Christmas and Easter for exposure and development
- For players leaving for university, college, gap year, or work, we aim to maintain a connection and invite them to join our Under 22s squad
At every stage, our focus is on maximising every development opportunity within the pathway. In addition to the key stages outlined above, we regularly invite guest specialist coaches, nutritionists, and medical practitioners to support holistic development.
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Will Darbishire
Graduating Colts player.
"The Colts Development Programme has really pushed and improved my game over the past couple of years. One thing that stands out is the standards that the coaches push us players to maintain, they never let the standards drop which has pushed me to get better and improve every week. Additionally the coaches have introduced advanced concepts of play, particularly in defence which has massively increased my understanding of the game, making me more tactically aware and knowledgeable. I think my experience with the men’s team in the pre season has developed me most as a player.
This exposure to high level rugby has aided my development as it put al lot of pressure on my skills and fitness due to the massive increase in pace and intensity. Spending a pre season training at that level developed my game understanding, skills and fitness which had a big impact my overall game this season."
Alex Power
Graduating Colts player.
"The club has supported us with the facilities and coaches to achieve some strong results, it is a fun and exciting environment.
The most enjoyable aspect of being part of this group is the collective appetite to set and improve our high standards. Dorking Colts are a top-four squad in England and the top Colts team in Surrey. This group has always had a hunger for success"
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Scott Bloomfield
Graduating Colts player.
"I’ve been playing at Dorking RFC for 13 years and the CDP has really helped develop my rugby skills and fitness within the last 2 years.
I think that the depth of our coaching team allows us to perfect details of our game to the best we can, the implement of our new lineout options. This has pushed our game to the next level and allowed us to reach top 4 in England and the top team in Surrey. This partnered with the amazing facilities available to us and opportunities to learn from senior coaches and players really makes the CDP as good as it is."
Director of Rugby, Armand Roux commented the following on the graduating players:
"It’s a true pleasure to see our players thriving in the environment we've created here in Dorking. The fact that they are now moving into the next stage of their rugby journeys (Senior Rugby) is an exciting milestone for both the club and the players.
Congratulations to each and every player who has worked hard over the past few years through the YDP and the CDP. The rewards will always be there, and the memories you’ve made will forever remind you where your love for the game began.
Bring on the 24/25 season, so we can keep the momentum going!"
Join our Youth Pathway
If you are interested in signing up your child to our Youth Development Programme, please contact us at dor@dorkingrfc.com. The programme is open to boys and girls aged 13 to 16, with no additional costs involved, more details are available here: https://dorkingrfc.com/Contents/Item/Display/247
