Answer extracted from the The Toddle About Show podcast — listen to the full episode below.
Who are Rugby Tots coaches, and what brings them to this role?
Rugby Tots coaches come from diverse backgrounds: students at Brunel University who want to give back to younger generations, staff from local schools and colleges, and former participants who have grown into coaching roles. This mix creates what Tom Brown calls full-circle moments within the Rugby Tots community.
The coaching team reflects the communities where Rugby Tots operates. In the South Bucks area, many coaches are aspiring professional rugby players from Brunel University who see coaching as a way to develop their own skills while making an impact on younger children. Their dual motivation—personal growth and community contribution—shapes the energy they bring to sessions.
Beyond university recruits, Rugby Tots draws coaches from the education sector. Local school and college staff join the team, bringing professional experience in working with young people. These educators understand child development and classroom management, assets that translate directly into running structured play sessions.
What makes the coaching pipeline truly distinctive is that some of Rugby Tots' current coaches were themselves participants in the programme years earlier. They've watched the journey from a child's perspective, experienced the confidence-building firsthand, and chosen to return as coaches. As Brown describes it, these are the full-circle moments—the clearest sign that the programme works.
If you want to understand how these coaches structure their sessions and what happens during a typical Rugby Tots class, Tom Brown walks through the session breakdown in the full episode, explaining everything from the opening activity through to the finishing game.
"We want to build confidence in young children, we want to give opportunity for those lightbulb moments, we want to work on movement literacy to really develop a really supportive platform that children can grow in without really knowing what they're developing."
Tom Brown — Franchisee, Rugby Tots. Tom Brown runs Rugby Tots franchises in the South Bucks and East Orsa areas, managing his own team of coaches and delivering structured play sessions for early-years children. As a father himself, he understands what young families need from quality activity programmes and builds his coaching recruitment around finding people who share that family-focused philosophy.
The diversity of the coaching team—university students, schoolteachers, and returned participants—ensures that each session carries multiple perspectives on what it means to work with young children. This mix also means that new coaches are always learning from established staff, creating an environment where best practices spread organically across the programme.
How coaches are developed and supported
Bringing together people from different backgrounds requires a strong support system. Brown emphasises that Rugby Tots coaches work within a structured framework for every session, which gives coaches consistency while allowing them to adapt games and challenges based on the children's responses. The consistency itself becomes a teaching tool—children know what to expect, which lets them focus on the activity itself rather than worrying about unpredictability.
Each coach, whether a Brunel student or a school staff member, operates within this proven structure. Starting activity, catch-and-pass work, movement skills, kicking practice, finishing activity—this spine gives coaches a clear roadmap. For coaches coming from backgrounds outside professional rugby instruction, this framework is invaluable; for university students with rugby ambitions, it sharpens their ability to teach rather than just play.
The two-week rotation model that Brown describes also supports coach development. When the same activity runs for two weeks, coaches see children's progression and learn to adjust difficulty and challenge in real time—a skill that takes practice and cannot be taught in an induction session alone.
See also
Does Rugby Tots offer any referral discounts for existing members?
Tom Brown offers a 10% refer-a-friend discount for the franchises he runs in the South Bucks and East Orsa areas. This discount can be stacked, meaning multiple referrals can accumulate to reduce term fees significantly.
What trial or money-back options does Rugby Tots offer new families?
Rugby Tots offers free taster classes to new families, which can be found by entering a postcode on www.rugbytots.co.uk to locate local classes and sessions.
What is the role of parents and caregivers in Rugby Tots classes?
Rugby Tots actively encourages grown-ups to participate in sessions alongside their children. The programme aims to give parents the opportunity to witness their child's progress while fostering independence as the child becomes ready.