PHOTO: Under-12s coach for the Western Plains side Adam Macrae talking to kids ahead of the trials. PHOTO River McCrossen
Adam Macrae has been a teacher for twenty odd years and has a rugby union background so when he got a call from NSW Rugby to take up a role as one of its Development Officers, it was a natural fit.
“I’ve always loved working with kids,” Adam told the Times at Coonamble Sportsground after the Coonamble Cup on 10 May.
Beginning in April 2024, Adam began teaching high school students to coach primary schoolers’ rugby under the organisation’s Tackle Life program.
“I am going into Coonamble, Brewarrina, and I’ll be going into Walgett shortly, working with secondary kids, developing them as coaches,” Adam said.
“That develops our younger kids and it gives those older kids a chance to develop their coaching, but develop them as young people as well.
“I’ve probably been going for about a month. There’s been a bit of up-skilling and just a bit of tagging along and watching, but now we’re starting to hit our straps.”
He’s also coaching the Western Plains U12 rugby union side, which recently held their selection trials and faced Sydney’s Shore school on Saturday 11 May.
“It’s been amazing to be able to come back and pick from that pool of kids that you’ve been able to coach and add them to some others from around the Western Plains and come up with a really good side,” Adam said.
The farmer and former Coonamble High School teacher said he hopes getting the region’s young people involved in rugby will mold them for the better.
“Obviously the primary thing you see is their rugby develop and their teamwork and those sort of things.”
“But then from there you see their relationships develop and you see them become better people and you can work on their leadership.
“It’s a whole personal experience when you play in a rugby team.”