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The Power of Video Feedback

This season we introduced a new tool to our coaching… video analysis. For some of our games we were able capture match footage from a perspective none of us usually get: from above, detached from the noise, and clear enough to spot the patterns, the positioning, the little moments that matter.

At this age group, players rarely get to see themselves in action. They feel the tackles, the runs, the frustration, the joy, but they don’t often get to step back and observe their game like we do from the sidelines. Introducing video gave us, and more importantly the players, a fresh lens through which to reflect and learn.

We didn’t clip specific moments or create highlight reels, we simply shared the full game footage with the players and parents after matches. It was there if they wanted to revisit moments, spot patterns, or just relive the game. We kept it low-key, not overloading the girls with instruction or expectations, just giving them access and space.

The exception came after that first game they won, where everything really clicked, a turning point where belief visibly landed in the group. We decided to sit down as a team and watch the game together. It wasn’t about analysis or corrections. It was about celebrating what they had achieved. We wanted the girls to see themselves in action: how they moved as a unit in defence, their hunger to win back possession, the support lines they ran, and the intensity with which they played. It became a shared moment of pride and insight.

During that session, the girls noticed things they hadn’t in the moment. Moments of skill, teamwork, and determination. They also saw the game from our perspective as coaches, the patterns that don’t always feel obvious when you’re in the thick of the action. It gave us a chance to praise their efforts in a different way and to open up space for them to highlight what they saw in each other’s play too.

That session felt like a shift. The players left more confident, more connected to the game and to each other. It was no longer just about how it felt out there, they’d seen themselves succeed, and that’s powerful. It made things stick in a new way.

Video feedback won’t replace time on the pitch or the lessons of effort and repetition, but it has added another layer of learning. One we’ll certainly keep building on in seasons to come.

Key takeaway: Sometimes the most powerful feedback is simply giving players the chance to see themselves. A new perspective can deepen belief and unlock learning in unexpected ways.

Coaching reflection: What could your players discover if they saw what you see? How might it shift their understanding of their game, and of themselves?

One of the standout features of this season was the steady stream of new players who came along to give rugby a go. Whether they were following a friend, inspired by the 6 Nations, or just curious about the sport, it was brilliant to see more girls joining the game. Each arrival brought fresh energy – along with the challenge of quickly getting them up to speed and helping them feel part of the squad.

Bringing new players in mid-season is rarely straightforward. Some turn up unsure if they’ll enjoy it, others full of nerves, and occasionally you get one who’s immediately raring to go. Regardless of where they start, our aim is always the same – to welcome them in, help them build confidence, and find their place in the team.

It means going back to basics again and again. Revisiting things like tackling technique, the laws of the game, and how to set up at a ruck – often while more experienced players are hungry to move on to more complex aspects of the game. Balancing the needs of both groups can be tricky, but one of the approaches that worked really well this year was involving our experienced players in coaching the newer girls. It gave the newer players someone they could learn from and lean on, and it gave our experienced girls a chance to reflect on their own learning and step into leadership. Watching a player patiently explain a technique or encourage a newcomer through her first contact session was one of the most rewarding aspects of coaching this season.

It wasn’t just about the technical side either – the social element mattered just as much. New friendships were forged quickly through small things: shared laughter during warm-ups, post-training chats, or support after a dropped ball. The atmosphere created by the squad was welcoming and open, and that didn’t happen by accident. As coaches, we talked regularly about what it means to be a team and encouraged the girls to embody those values, especially when someone new turned up.

There’s still a long way to go in growing the girls’ game, but this season was another step forward. Seeing new players return week after week – and become part of the group – is a great sign that what we’re building is something worth being part of. The more inclusive and encouraging we are, the more likely we are to keep growing the game for everyone.

Question for reflection: How do you balance developing your experienced players while creating space for new ones to grow?

If I had to pick a moment that shifted everything this season, as odd as it may sound, it would be a game we didn’t win.

We’d fought hard. The team had shown real grit and togetherness. But in the final seconds, the opposition broke through and scored. The whistle blew. The loss stung – not just because of the result, but because of how close we came. You could see it in the girls’ faces: heads down, shoulders dropped, some tears. It was a heartbreak.

But in hindsight, that match was the spark. The players felt what it was like to come together and nearly do something special. They’d pushed a strong team to the edge. And even though the result didn’t go our way, it gave them something to believe in – a glimpse of what might be possible if they kept growing.

At training the following week, there was a different kind of energy. It wasn’t just about trying hard, it was about believing they could get over the line. That shift – from hoping to believing – is hard to measure, but you can feel it.

And then it happened. We got that first win. It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be. The confidence boost was instant. The players walked taller. They celebrated together. They started to back themselves and each other. Skills we’d been working on for weeks started to click – because now, they believed they could execute them under pressure.

As coaches, we talk about mindset all the time. But this season was a reminder that belief isn’t something you can hand out – it’s something players build, through experiences, setbacks, support and moments of progress. Our job is to help them stay in the game long enough to feel it for themselves.

Watching this group find belief – real, earned belief – has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.

Question for reflection:
How do we help young players bounce back from heartbreak and find belief in themselves and their team?

This season brought a new challenge – and a new opportunity – as we combined with another club to form a joint squad. It was a practical solution to numbers, especially in the growing girls’ game, but it came with its own set of questions. How do you take two separate groups and help them become one team?

At the start, the players didn’t know each other. There were different coaching styles, different team cultures, even different ways of warming up. It would’ve been easy for small cliques to form, or for the atmosphere to feel like “us and them.” But what we saw instead, over the weeks and months, was something far more encouraging: players reaching out, connecting, supporting each other. It took time… but it happened.

We worked hard to set the tone early on. As coaches, we made a point of being united – presenting a single, supportive front. We encouraged shared goals, celebrated each other’s successes, and made space for the players to connect as people, not just teammates. Sometimes that meant taking the rugby down a notch to prioritise bonding – chats during water breaks, rotating training groups, and mixing players from both clubs in training sessions. We alternated training locations and match kits to reflect a shared identity, reinforcing that this was one squad, not two teams side by side. There were pizzas after training, a team chant created by the girls themselves, and plenty of moments where friendships took root. At the end of the season, each player voted for a Players’ Player from each club… not to keep things separate, but to ensure they truly saw one another as part of the same team.

There were bumps along the way. Some players found it easier than others to settle into the new dynamic. But by the end of the season, something had shifted. The group felt like one team – celebrating tries together, supporting each other after mistakes, genuinely enjoying each other’s company. That unity didn’t just make us stronger on the pitch – it made the experience richer for everyone involved.

Looking back, one of the most rewarding parts of this season was watching that sense of belonging take shape – not just for the players, but for the parents and coaches too. In a grassroots sport like this, where relationships and community matter just as much as results, that’s no small thing.

Question for reflection:

What helps a group of individuals become a true team… and how can we create more of that?