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UCF was the team that ended first in the general table in FLorida. That gave them a pass for Nationals. Somewhat odd, following week they came back and played vs USF for the Florida Title, which they lost. We talked to coach Fabián Pourrain about the season.
Posted on 5/28/2019 12:58:39 PM
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UCF Goes to Nationals
UCF
was the team that ended first in the general table in Florida. That gave them a
pass for Nationals. We talked to coach Fabián Pourrain about the season, The
man behind many successes.
--Coach, you reached the goal of getting to Nationals with UCF,
congratulations. But first I would like to ask you how did you arrive to rugby
in Florida?
--Thank you. Very happy with that. I came from Argentina
where I played for 26 year. I coached several clubs at Pucará, San Martín and Las
Cañas. I got my level 3 coaching certification from World Rugby over there.
I came to Florida in 2015 where I immediately
started working at Okapi Wanderers as Director of Coaching. The club was only 2
years in the making and I was offered the position.
I organized all the coaches and
training sessions for all categories. The club´s president had given me a lot control
on the coaching at all levels and aspects of the game and the results followed.
I personally took care of the JV
High School team and we won the State Final.
The high school varsity team
went through an incredible phase where they had 18 consecutive wins and reached
the #7 ranking in the US.
I was at the club for 3 years
and we won 6 state championships.
--What was the
secret for this change. How do you transform a team that starts wining?
--It´s work. Investigations,
capacitation and work. As for investigation, I developed a physical-tactic training
plan that I apply to all my teams. (This plan can be downloaded here)
https://www.safecreative.org/work/1310178785821-hiithp-high-intensity-interval-training-for-high-performance-sports).
You need to have a unique type
of play and understand the sport and it´s constant change. Put together good
teams of coaches and get them on the same page. Also, you need to convince the
players that they can develop a modern type of rugby. And a lot of training. I
like to say that perfection is an act of repetition.
In that context is that we achieved
the 6 State Titles, a win against a British team for the first time in Florida.
We also represented USA en the Rugby Americas North 2017 with unexpected
success, participate as shadows with the National Team and take UCF to the Top
Four in Nationals.
As the UCF coach, how was the planning toward the
objective of reaching nationals?
En 2018 I left Okapi and started
working with UCF. It was a big challenge, as the team could reach the National
stage. They had lost all their preseason games at that point.
I had total support from the
club to put together a game plan that would adapt to the needs and style that
the team had at that moment. We did some big changes: we strengthened the scrum
and the defensive play. The players were very excited to reach a National level.
And we ended at the top 4 in the Nation and almost beat Dartmouth college with
whom we had lost 80-0 the year before. With a professional approach you can do
anything.
--You are one of the
few Level 400 coaches in the country, correct?
--Yes, there are only 24 level
400 coaches among 20,000. I am also Silver SOAR by USA Rugby and hope to get to
GOLD (LOL), as GOLD is only for the coaches of the National Team.
--Finally, what are
your projects for 2019-20?
I will continue with the UCF
team this season and we will try to get that title that we lost so closely last
year.
I will also be working with
Okapi as the Director of Coaching and head coach for the First XV of the club.
I am doing some consulting for
some clubs from South America and I also committed my participation in some
shadows of USA Rugby with the National team. So it´s going to be a busy season!
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