Rugby in the Bahamas took a surge forward this week with the addition of ten newly qualified coaches. The new coaches are all part of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) course for Physical Training Instructors (PTI’s) being held at the Coral Harbor Base in New Providence, Bahamas. The PTI course is a grueling, four month mixture of extreme physical fitness and classroom work associated with sports science and in-depth knowledge of sports.

Andy Dixon, the National Development Officer for the Bahamas Rugby Union and course leader said,

“I was delighted to have been invited to contribute to the PTI’s course with an afternoon’s talk about rugby and how it is played. Those on the course were really interested in what we are trying to do with the youth programme and how the Union is looking to expand the number of adult teams from the current four; three in Nassau and one in Freeport”. He added, “When I was contacted the very next week asking if there was any possibility of running a formal coaching course for the group, I jumped at the opportunity”.

Along with his other rugby duties, Andy is an Educator for the International Rugby Union (iRB) which is the world governing body for the sport of Rugby Union.

Training alongside the eight members of the RBDF were two members of the Bahamas Police Force and two members of Bahamas Prison service, so three uniformed services learned about rugby at the same time. Two members of the RBDF group were women PTI’s which hopefully will help increase the number of women currently playing rugby in the Bahamas. Andy is a 24 year veteran of the British Royal Navy so found it very easy slipping back into a military setting saying, “It was great to “back in the Service”, even if it was just for a few days.”

The PTI’s learned how rugby was a tough and physical sport but also that it needed strong team work and quick decision making skills making rugby a perfect sport for service men and women, particularly for new recruits. The Bahamas Rugby Union will support the new PTI’s and their services with any plans for the introduction of rugby into their sports programmes.

“I look forward to the emergence of new teams to join our small league”, said Andy adding, “There are some great athletes within these services and we hope they come to love the game as much as we do”.