On Sunday the 31st may the Youth team welcomed the Wiltshire Royals for a mixed training and controlled scrimmage. It was a long hot day for the home team for the first outing with another team. The players worked hard and found the experience a great guide in learning about the game.

As a new team the Thrashers did move the ball for yards but found that the Royals experience on defence was over powering. On defence the Thrashers did make some key plays and put some pressure on the Royals QB but with the Royals MVP No 80 at the top of his game the defence had a hard a long day.
On the day both Thrashers players and coaching staff agreed that Nose tackle and Center, number  51 Aidan Lee, was the MVP on the day having four solo tackles  with loss of yards on each tackle and Having good firm hands and drive blocking 100% every play.
 
The day was a great experience for a young team that has just been formed and training for the last 10 weeks. We have this experience to know be able to develop the team and players to reach the next level required for the next team.

London / Thrashers scrimmage
 
 
The Thrashers youth team had a great day when London Warriors came to our home ground to do a mixed scrimmage. It was great to see over 50 youth players from both teams take part in the day. The National Champions of 2009 with their coaching staff inspired our youth team in both of the field and on the field skills.
 
The Thrashers youth players worked very hard on the day and for the second time they have played another team did very well. Coaches were impressed with all the players and the way the meet the National champions on the field. It was great to see the team working together to achieve both Offence and Defence success.
 
It became clear what the player need to aim for next year and the skills needed to compete in the National league next season.




Renegades / Thrashers youth - scrimmage
 
 
The Thrashers youth team had a great day when the Berkshire Renegades came for a mixed scrimmage at our home ground at Winchester Rugby Club. It was great to see over 45 youth players from both teams on the field. This was the Renegades for mixed training season and we were impressed with the way they played.
 
The Thrashers team did achieve some goals on the day. The Offence was able to move the ball well in the running game and had some success with passing. The youth team did get the first scrimmage TD with QB Simon Blow on a QB keeper play. This came from a six play drive where the youth players all worked hard to keep the ball moving on downs.
 
Both teams did play one Quarter of football under game conditions - Both teams did every well and moved the ball for first downs. Both teams Defence also had success in stopping the movement of the balls and forcing turnover or punts.
 
Thrashers youth players that worked very Hard were Tom Davies for both O in running the ball and D in making many tackles. Seb Wilks on the D had also high amount of tackles as CB. Tom Lade had a great day as the punter by giving the Thrashers squad great field position all day.
 
The coaching staff was impressed with all the youth players, many comments from the senior teams players who helped in building the team sprits and individual skills. It was great to see that over the last 7 months from our start as a team the players had achieved a real team awareness - working together to make it possible to be able to compete with other teams. This will be a great to move on with the off season and start to build the team so it is ready for the national League games next year.
 
As head coach it has been great to be part of all the hard work put in by both the players and coaches of the thrashers youth programme. We are looking forward to next year.