Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October 28, 2020: The United Arab Emirates Rugby Federation held an online ‘Get Into Rugby’ programme which brought together the rugby community across Asia.
For the first time ever, the campaign saw 24 presenters from nine Unions across Asia deliver the introduction to the Get Into Rugby course through eight concurrent Zoom calls.
Sami Smara, Development, Training and Education manager at UAERF, spearheaded and launched the massive campaign to introduce rugby to new physical education teachers in the Emirates. Some 102 teachers joined the workshops remotely through Zoom.
“The project in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education took a lot of coordination and planning; however, I was fortunate that I got great support from educators across all Asia, all the way from Singapore to Syria,” Smara said.
Smara added: “I believe this campaign not only united presenters from across Asia but it also provided an opportunity for them to practise and develop their presentation skills.”
Mohamed Jarkou, a World Rugby Coach Educator from Syria, said: “It was a great opportunity to get more familiar with the Zoom meeting as a host.”
Mahfizul Islam Kanchon, World Rugby Coach Educator and CEO of Bangladesh Rugby, said: “The ‘New Normal’ situations gave us that new experience. This course shows the integrity of Educators in Asia Rugby. Thanks to Asia Rugby and the UAERF for the opportunity.”
Saner Hasan, rugby development officer for Doha RFC, said: “I am planning on putting a similar plan in place here in Qatar as well.”
Smara, who is already planning to train over 1,000 teachers over the next four years by using World Rugby’s Coaching Children manual and Rugby Rules in Arabic, concluded: "We know there is so much we still have to do; however, we look forward to achieving further success with the great support of our main sponsor HSBC.”