USA Rugby will welcome back Dartmouth Head Coach Gavin Hickie to this year’s National Development Summit. Hickie has experience as a professional rugby player for 10 years, having played in Leinster, Ireland and London. After a decorated playing career, Hickie moved to California to continue as a coach, where he has coached at the high school, U18, U20, and collegiate levels. In 2012, he was named head coach at Dartmouth and has most recently been appointed as the forwards coach for the USA Rugby AIG Men’s Collegiate All-Americans.
After presenting at the NDS in Atlanta in 2012, Hickie’s presentation at this year’s Summit will focus on the new scrum cadence and how coaches can maximize the scrum to their team’s benefit. Utilizing the set piece is important to all teams and Hickie will share his ideas on ensuring safety through the proper technique of the scrum, as well as teaching players from a young age the importance of winning the ball and how it is essential to building an attacking platform for the team.
“The NDS is very important to the growth of the game here,” Hickie said. “It is an opportunity to learn from each other, as well as learning the latest nuances of the game. Rugby is constantly evolving and the NDS gives us all an opportunity to work together to progress the growth of the game.”
Early bird registration ends Jan. 21
This presentation is one of many exciting opportunities for those involved at this year’s event, with other national team coaches like Pete Steinberg, Danielle Miller and Luke Gross scheduled to present.
All coaches attending this year’s Summit will receive 10 Professional Development Credits for attending.
The National Development Summit will be held Feb. 21-23at the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, Penn. Visit the NDS Event Page for more information and to register.
