Page 4 - BRFC NEWS SPRING 2018

04
BRFC News SPRING 2018
We talk to Andy about his journey from playing into coaching.
ANDY POWELL
FROM PLAYER TO COACH
With half of the season gone and the First XV sitting in second place in the league as we move into the six nations period we have taken advantage of the break to catch up with Andy to look back at his journey in rugby and his move int coaching with his home town Club. Thanks to Andy for giving us the time to sit down and chat to us about his early days in rugby, some of his career highlights, the coaches who have influenced him and his approach and take on modern day coaching.
Who or what encouraged you to start playing Rugby?
When I was younger my main sport was athletics and I was a sprinter and could run 100m in 11.1 seconds , I also did high jump and hurdles. I didn't really get involved in any team sports although I did like football. I played rugby once or twice in junior school. I used to go and watch my cousin Ian McQueen playing and saw him be successful and end up playing professional rugby. I could see that even though it looked hard that he was enjoying himself and I thought to myself that I would like a bit of that. I guess watching him was the real catalyst for me to get involved in playing rugby.
I really only started playing rugby properly at the age of 13. After a brief spell at Brecon High School, I went to Llandovery College and this kick started me playing rugby. I was lucky enough to have a great sports teacher and rugby coach in Iestyn Thomas who got to know me and managed me well.
He helped develop my game and got the best out of me on the pitch.
This really was the first time that someone had focused on me as an individual and had the time to help me improve and it paid dividends.
It was while I was at Llandovery College that I first played 7s rugby - after been involved in athletics I had become quite quick. After leaving Llandovery College I came back to Brecon and went to Coleg Powys. I was fortunate to have another rugby mentor in Ian Jeffries and it was from here that I was selected to play for British Colleges. While I was at Coleg Powys I also got selected to represent Wales U18. I played a season for Brecon Youth and after playing for Wales U18, I joined the academy at Newport Black and Ambers. From here, I was called up for Wales U19 and U21, Wales 7s and Wales A team before being also called into the senior side.
While at Newport Black and Ambers, I was loaned to Llandovery RFC to get senior playing time and this stood me in good stead for what was to come when I went back to Newport.
Who inspired or encouraged you most in your early rugby playing days?
I guess the main driving force in getting me to take part in team sports was Mum. As I said, earlier I did not really get involved in team sports but it was mum who through my teenage years encouraged me to try new things and get out and meet new people make more friends. Rugby was a great opportunity to
force me out of my comfort zone and meet new people and gave me a different set of challenges as I was growing up.
I was lucky when I went to Llandovery College that the rugby coach Iestyn Thomas got to know me, he managed me well, helped me develop my game and got the best out of me on the pitch. This was really the first time that someone had focussed on me as an individual and had the time to help me improve.
When I first moved to Newport I was lucky to have Ian McIntosh as a coach and he was a great man manager who again understood me, worked with me and gave me a great grounding in the professional game.
What are your memories of mini and junior or schools Rugby?
I played my first game of rugby at the age of about 9 at junior school but didn't really start playing rugby as part of a team until sec- ondary school where I played for the school and represented Powys Schools. I was quick and could score a few tries but could not tackle, I enjoyed the game but don’t remem- ber getting much coaching or help to de- velop skills. Everything was done as a group and not much help was given to individuals to help me improve my own skills.