Children benefit form star coach (From Penarth Times)

Children benefit form star coach

PENARTH schoolchildren have given a hero's welcome to an international rugby star who dropped in recently.

Newport player Ian Gough, who has been capped more than 20 times for Wales, flew into Vale Catholic School, St Richard Gwyn by helicopter on Thursday.

While there he helped the pupils brush up their rugby skills.

He said: "It is superb to be invited to the school. I am looking forward to the enthusiasm of the kids.

I want to encourage the children to enjoy sport whatever it is. Sport is good for everyone and if they like rugby that's great."

The event was jointly organised by Coca Cola, the Dragon Rugby Trust and the army, which flew Ian in to do the coaching.

Former England A and Gloucester player Brian Johnson also coached the kids and was the army officer who organised for Ian to be flown in by helicoptor.

Dragons Rugby Trust worked in partnership with Coca-Cola to launch the Player Outreach programme in September 2000.

It has held coaching clinics in school with great success.

With a brand new pitch and the appointment of rugby development officer Julian Mctavish the school has been promoting the sport for the last six weeks Teacher Rob Edwards said that Coca-Cola had sponsored the kits and there were now four rugby teams at the school.

One of those teams is made up of girls and they were coached by Ian Gough.

Fifteen-year-old Emma Perkin was given a rugby shirt signed by Ian and she was one of only two to get the prize.

She said: "It is fantastic that Ian coached the girls to play rugby. And it was great fun to see a real professional rugby player."

Jaidine Blackmore, 15, of Colcot Road, Barry, said: "It makes a nice change that we as girls are getting some professional coaching.

We get good coaching at school but to see an international like Ian Gough was very influential."