WATCH: Inverness Craig Dunain RFC player one in ten to win Royal Bank of Scotland Young Ambassador award in grassroot rugby boost initiative
AN Inverness rugby player is among only 10 young people in Scotland to be selected for a new grassroots development programme.
Erin Green (21), who is vice-captain for the women’s team at Inverness Craig Dunain, won this year’s Royal Bank RugbyForce Young Ambassador award, a new scheme aiming to boost the participation of young people into rugby club boardrooms.
On receiving the award, Green said: “I was absolutely over the moon at the fact that Craig Dunain is going to be one in 10 clubs represented this year in Scotland, it’s phenomenal.
“It’s fantastic that the club is getting more visibility on the map among big clubs in Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh.”
Green’s Young Ambassador programme will see her aim to forge stronger links between the club and the local community, promoting a pathway for young people from local high schools and university to join the club and transition from youth to adult rugby, as well as focussing on fundraising and promotion on social media.
She said: “I will be working with ICD club president Jess Butler and I will be her sidekick for this year. She has been incredibly supportive and I am very grateful for that and the support from the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) as well.”
Originally from Thurso, Green started playing rugby eight years ago, and has been with ICD for the past four.
A level two certified coach, she was Young Coach of the of the Year with High Life Highland for her work with young children at Caithness RFC and won an award as Volunteer with Active Schools in 2018 for her work with Wick High School.
Previously, she was also head coach for Borders Women and Girls, and has worked at Selkirk and Hawick rugby clubs.
Talking about the impact of the award on her future career, she said: “It will be very beneficial working with SRU as well. I already have my level 1 and 2 coaching and other qualifications, but being one in only 10 selected is absolutely phenomenal.
“I will get seven hours of mentoring and will work face-to-face with other clubs in Scotland, see where they are – and especially being somewhat rural, which we are, compared to other clubs down south, meeting with people and have conversations and see what each one is doing right that we can take from them.
“Being able to have that experience over the next year is going to be outstanding.”
