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[video:7522]EDWARDSVILLE – Local rugby club Metro East Mayhem is gearing up for the start of the season on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024 for their increasingly popular youth rugby program. Featuring multiple age groups, levels of contact, experienced coaches and more, the program offers a great way to get kids outdoors while learning skills to use on and off the rugby field.Caleb, Corey, and Kegan, three coaches for the youth rugby program, appeared on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com in anticipation of the season starting as the program continues into its third year.The youth rugby program offers options for multiple age ranges with varying levels of contact. These include the “full-contact” age group for ages 11-13 and the “non-contact” group from ages 6 to 8 – but the program is also proud to introduce a brand-new age category for “kind-of contact fundamentals,” designed for kids ages 8-10.Caleb said this new “middle group” provides a more logical split than the category’s previous age range of 6-10, and expects these 8 to 10-year-old players to be “a lot of fun this season.”Kegan said the program has grown significantly since it started in 2021 with six kids, today boasting about 50 kids taught by six total coaches. He added their fall season is typically used for practice and preparation, while matches are usually held during the spring season. Kegan added the program teaches participants skills that translate well to other sports. As Caleb later pointed out, part of this is teaching kids “how to fall,” or ways to “accept contact” without injuring themselves or other players, though Corey emphasized it’s a gradual process.“When it comes to the kids, we have different levels and stages. By the time they get to the age where they’re doing contact, they already know how to play rugby,” Corey said. “We’re sort of easing them into contact, we’re not putting a whole bunch of kids on the field and having them hit each other. We’re working on fundamentals and fun games.”He explained these “fun games” are “rugby-based” activities held during each practice which help kids sharpen their rugby skills, sometimes without even realizing. Corey said that while he, Caleb, and Kegan all coach for the youth rugby program, they each play in different teams outside of the program – but he said that range of experience allows them to take a more “holistic” approach to teaching their players, some of whom are their own children.“We all have kids in the program. We want our kids to learn the game, we want other kids to learn the game – but also, I’m sure most parents want their kids to get out there and run around for a couple hours,” Corey said. “It’s good for the culture of the sport, but it’s also good for the kids to get out there and have that healthy outlet.”The Metro East Mayhem youth rugby program is hosted in collaboration between the City of Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Department and the Metro East Rugby Club. While registration is technically closed for this year, all three coaches indicated there’s room for more players to get involved. To learn more about the program, visit its page on the City of Edwardsville website or contact mayhemyouthrugby@gmail.com.To find out more about Metro East Mayhem and their upcoming youth rugby season, see the full interview at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.