didi rugby have won an award for providing such a large amount of online classes and support for members during the pandemic.
The recognition came from international business management software provider TeamUp, who run systems in several countries for businesses which interact with members and customers via online platforms, such as Zoom.
didi rugby were awarded the ‘Outstanding Community Award’ for hosting 155 online classes between March 2020 and March 2021.
Founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen said she was both proud and delighted to see the whole team get rewarded for their determination and hard work during what was a challenging time for everyone.
Family business
“There is a real family feel to our business. So, as soon as lockdown began, didi HQ got together with our franchise owners and coaches on Zoom calls to discuss how we could still be there for our young did stars and their parents during lockdown.
“We know that face-to-face classes would be unlikely for some time. So, as a result, we grabbed the bull by the horns as a group. We embraced technology that was new to many of us and started delivering online classes instead.
“I am not saying it all went without a hitch! But to be able to deliver so many during that time is testament to the hard work of our franchise owners and coaches. Some of them had never hosted anything online in their lives before.
Local coaches
“We were all desperate to provide a link between local coaches and local children. We also wanted to try and make sure that we gave parents some interaction too. Lockdown was such a tough time for many of them stuck at home with young children.
“We received some amazing feedback during 2020 for our online classes and challenges. It was great to be able to put a smile on the face of kids and their parents while the pandemic took a hold on normal life.
“I would also like to thank our didi customers who stuck by us during this time and encouraged us to do more classes by their attendance and their feedback.
Entertainment
“I am extremely proud of everyone’s efforts and take my hat off to all of our coaches and franchise owners who provided inclusive fun and entertainment for their members, even if they only had a rolled-up pair of socks to join in with.
“A big thank-you to TeamUp for their support and for telling us that the award is richly deserved and a reflection of the strong family environment we operate in here at didi.”
The head coach of didi rugby Grantham didn’t bat an eyelid when she jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet.
Those that know her will not be surprised by that.
Kerri Arlando of didi rugby Grantham gets her flying wings
Kerri Arlando is certainly not afraid of heights so when her family bought her a sky dive because they thought she might like it….she did!
“I think my family were more nervous than I was,” said Kerri. “I didn’t have any butterflies at all. Even climbing into the plane, I felt fine.
Kesteven Ladies
“I am more scared about posting a didi rugby video than I am jumping out of a plane!”
Kerri, who plays scrum-half for Kesteven Ladies, made the jump from Langar Airfield which is about 20 miles from her home, attached to an instructor.
“Bizarrely, I didn’t feel like I was falling. It felt more like I was flying,” she said. “It’s hard to put it into words how it felt. I didn’t scream when I jumped but it was so cold that it did take my breath away.
Kerri Arlando gets ready to jump out of a plane
“I would do it all again and am actually thinking about trying to get a free-fall license when I can. My two boys, Leonard (14) and Alfred (12) both want to do it when they are 16 too. Though I don’t think it’s my husband Dimitri’s cup of tea.”
Kerri is back down to Earth this weekend with another busy week of almost full didi rugby classes on Wednesday and Saturday at her home club, Kesteven.
Friday didi rugby classes
And there is now the chance to start the weekend early with Friday after-school classes too.
The 3 to 6-year-old’s session at 4.30pm is an ideal platform for children to enjoy didi rugby if parents have really busy or unpredictable weekends but still want their youngsters to enjoy regular classes.
The owner of didi rugby Burntwood knows a thing or two about coaching.
Graham Smith earned a World Cup winners medal after being an assistant coach with England Women when they won the tournament in France in 2014.
Safe to say, any children that come to the launch of his new didi rugby classes at Burntwood RFC on Saturday 24 April, will be safe hands.
Graham will also lead the launch of didi rugby Willenhall the following Saturday (1 May) at Willenhall RFC.
didi rugby Burntwood
Strong local clubs
“The two clubs we are running the classes at are two very strong local clubs with a good following and a good place in the community,” said Graham. “They have been very supportive in the build-up to the launch and know the value of attracting young children to play the game we all love.”
As a player, Graham enjoyed his time at the Moseley club and became involved with rugby’s governing body, the RFU as a youth development officer in 1993.
He became involved with women’s rugby at Loughborough University in 2003 where he met the eventual World Cup-winning head coach Gary Street – who is also a didi rugby ambassador.
Moulding an England women’s team which involved the likes of a 17-year-old Emily Scarratt and a 19-year-old Sarah Hunter, not to mention the likes of Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt, Maggie Alphonsi and Katy Daly-Maclean, was hard work but good fun.
Founder of didi rugby
The success of that squad was built on a strong work ethic and culture and it left an indelible mark on Graham who is rightly proud of his achievements.
His early days with the England set-up also introduced him to Vicky Macqueen, a tough and talented back who is now the founder and CEO of didi rugby. The two are back together again with another common goal – to bring sporting fun and activity to as many young children as possible.
“I had always kept an eye on what Vicky was up to with didi rugby when I was coaching CN Poble Nou in Barcelona before the pandemic struck so it is great to now work together on trying to bring didi rugby to families in the Burntwood and Willenhall areas,” said Graham.
didi rugby Willenhall
“I am hoping it is a very positive reaction to the launches,” he said. “I am sure there are loads of parents who are keen to get their kids outside, moving around and having fun after what we have been through with Covid.”
Vicky Macqueen said: “Graham’s record as a coach speaks for itself but he also has a real passion for getting youngsters, not only playing the game but encouraging them to be active and running around.
Local community
“It’s a strong rugby area around Burntwood and Willenhall and I am sure we will get a good reaction from the local community. We can’t wait to get going.”
If your child is between 18 months and six years of age, they can find out more information or book a place at Burntwood RFC on 24 April or Willenhall RFC on 1 May by emailing graham.smith@didirugby.com.
You can also book direct via our website’s ‘find a class’page.
didi rugby classes have been given the green light to return to outdoor sessions from March 29.
Provision for schools and nurseries will start three weeks earlier on March 8.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the decision to allow children’s outdoor sport classes when providing the Houses of Parliament with his ‘Roadmap out of Lockdown’ speech on February 22.
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen said she was delighted with the decision.
“This has been an incredibly hard time for our members at classes around the country,” said Vicky.
Local coaches
“Our little didi stars have missed seeing their friends both at school and at our classes and they have missed interacting with our local coaches who they are used to seeing and having fun with every week.
“And, as a parent of two young boys myself, I know exactly what parents have been going through during this latest lockdown trying to work and homeschool at the same time.
“I am delighted that my own children can return to school from March 8 and I am delighted that our didi rugby classes can re-start outdoors from March 29.”
didi rugby classes saw a huge uplift in numbers after the first national lockdown in 2020 came to an and Vicky says she – and her coaches around the country – are expecting an even bigger uptake this time around.
Sporting activity
“It came as no surprise to us that after being stuck inside for so long during last Spring and early Summer, children and parents were desperate to get back to some organised sporting activity,” said Vicky.
“We made sure that, as soon as we got the green light to return, we had safety procedures in place to offer security to children, parents and our incredible band of coaches.
“When parents saw what we were doing to make our classes as safe as possible, the support and trust we got in return was incredible. Our classes filled up again and we made sure that our part of the bargain also included having lots of fun.
“We have been through the process of starting again from lockdown before so we are primed and ready to get our sessions back up and running again and we can’t wait to see our didi stars and their parents back having some fun and learning with us.
Online activities
“I just want to personally thank our wonderful local coaches, members and ambassadors who have stuck by us during lockdown and supported us by attending the range of online activities we have provided.”
All local coaches will be in touch with current members to inform them of the dates of times of their upcoming classes.
Indoor classes are allowed to resume from April 12.
Anyone parent wanting to book a free taster session for their child can find their local class online at www.didirugby.com under the ‘Find a Class’ tab.
didi rugby’s live online coaching sessions on Facebook during the February half-term reached over 30,000 people.
The ‘didi rugby half-term squad’ offered varied skills sessions every morning at 9am – thanks to Vicky Macqueen from didi rugby Midlands, Vicky Alexander from didi Rugby Cobham, Kerri Arlando from didi rugby Grantham, Ros Wiggins from didi Rugby Stone and Stafford and Keith Smith from didi rugby Cheltenham.
Jodie Ounsley doing a Facebook live broadcast for didi rugby
And there was also England international Jodie Ounsley and Wales international and coach of didi Rugby South Wales, Robyn Lock doing Skills and Storytime sessions on Wednesday and Friday evening at 6.00pm.
Add to those figures, the numbers from previous Skills and Storytime live broadcasts by the likes of England internationals, Heather Fisher, Nolli Waterman, Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt and Sarah Hunter mean that over 85,000 people have been reached by didi’s special live broadcasts on Facebook.
didi rugby live
didi rugby CEO and founder Vicky Macqueen said the figures showed just how well didi rugby live had engaged with members and their families during the latest lockdown.
“We knew from the first national lockdown in 2020 that our online offerings gave parents and children a big buzz during what was a difficult time at home for everyone.
“So, we were determined to make sure that we kept our didi stars busy, active and having fun during the latest lockdown too. We pledged to keep our members busy and give them something to look forward to every week and, with the help of our amazing didi rugby ambassadors and our wonderful coaches around the country, we have done that.
Having fun
“Until our classes are allowed to re-start again outside, we will be continuing to make sure our members are engaged and having fun.
“We were determined not just to leave our members to themselves during lockdowns and wanted to give them a chance to engage with their local coaches that they are used to seeing every week, as well as our high-profile ambassadors.
“The feedback we have received from our members has been wonderful and some of the pictures we have been sent of children taking part in our online classes has melted my heart.”
Vicky Macqueen is supporting plans for schools to be measured on how much physical activity they provide for kids who have been starved of activity during successive pandemic lockdowns.
If you can show me a parent who has not had to try and cajole their kids into some form of physical activity during this latest lockdown, I’ll be surprised.
Those of us with a back garden or a nearby park have had it easier than those without.
What is fairly obvious is that, as a nation, our children will need to get back to some regular and structured activity as soon as they are allowed back to school and back to classes with organised activity providers.
I have long felt that sports and PE has played second fiddle in terms of priority to more academic lessons in schools. That has been frustrating.
Wellbeing
So, I was delighted to hear that schools could soon be measured over how they prioritise sport, physical activity and wellbeing under new plans to get kids moving again at the end of the lockdown.
Reading about the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Keep Kids Active’ campaign, Government sport minister Nigel Huddleston confirmed that that talks had taken place with the department for education over some form of measurement of a school’s approach to physical activity.
What’s more, those ‘positive’ talks had also been formally backed by Ofsted.
“We are coordinating and trying to push things together,” said Mr Huddleston. “We have heard very positive vibes. They are as keen to get sport and physical activity going again as soon as possible.”
Activity
It’s incredible to think that most of our children have only been in school for three or four months between March 2020 and March 2021.
Hardly surprising then that the physical and mental health of our youngsters has taken a huge hit over the last 12 months.
As the founder and CEO of a children’s sports activity provider like didi rugby, it will come as no surprise that I advocate physical activity, not only to keep our children fit and healthy but to provide them with a positive experience for their mental health too.
I want children to have healthy bodies and healthy minds. Let’s face it, that has been a challenge for us all over the past 12 months.
Lockdown
What is important when lockdown ends and children go back to school is that a genuine commitment to getting them active and having fun is not merely given lip service by schools, Ofsted and the authorities.
Make activities just as important as core curriculum subjects.
And let’s not just give extra time to play sports and do activities during school time, let’s open up school facilities to the local community out of school time too (another of the Telegraph’s aims that I fully support).
If children and parents want to get involved in being active, let there be no barrier to them doing so.
Vaccines
“We are now in the path of re-opening,” said Mr Huddleston. “We want to make sure sport and physical activity is absolutely front in that list.
“With the vaccines rolling out, I think we do have a glidepath to a future that is more optimistic and more sustainable.”
didi rugby is ready and waiting for the green light so let’s hope the schools, supported by the Government and Ofsted are as ready as we are.
After the 12 months we have just had, there is little time to waste. Our children are relying on us.
didi rugby’s latest ambassador was eating at a Nandos restaurant when she got some of the best news of her life.
It was so unexpected though, she thought her parents’ surprise card was a complete wind-up.
Jodie Ounsley sat with her mum and dad eating chicken when she prized open an envelope from her mum.
It said: ‘Congratulations on your first professional rugby contract with England’!
When her parents Jo and Phil convinced her it was no joke, confusion turned to shock… and then excitement.
The girl from Yorkshire who was born profoundly deaf in both ears was now an England Rugby Sevens player.
Communication
Jodie loved every minute of training with her new team-mates who she said ‘did everything possible’ to make things as easy as possible with communication an obvious challenge on the training and playing surface.
Head coach Charlie Hayter said of Jodie after she joined the camp: “She showed some great physical attributes so we wanted to offer her a contract.
“Since she arrived, she has fitted in really well with the rest of the team and made great progress. Jodie loves a bit of banter and she puts extra hours in to make sure that she really understands what we are doing too.”
didi rugby ambassador Jodie Ounsley
Sevens team mate and head coach of didi rugby Worcester, Alex Matthews said Jodie was a joy to be around.
“Fortunately for me, I was Jodie’s mentor in the Sevens programme, which to be honest, I think benefited me more so than her,” said Alex.
“Her resilience and dedication is unbelievable, not only shown through her training and mindset, but also shown off the field through her personal circumstances of overcoming being born profoundly deaf and having integrated into a team sport.
“She’s modest and authentic, with the natural desire to help and inspire others. She’s a brilliant ambassador to have on board at didi!”
While Covid-19 has made her Sevens future uncertain for the time being, she is determined and very driven to be back with a bang when competitive England Sevens rugby returns.
Until then, playing for Sale Sharks and being a didi rugby ambassador are two of the things that will keep her busy – and she is throwing herself into the latter with a live Facebook broadcast in didi’s ‘Skills and Storytime’ online session during the latest national lockdown.
Jodie Ounsley
“I was really nervous doing it but wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone,” said Jodie. “But I really loved it and had great fun.
“didi rugby is great for kids. It gets them active, mixing with other children and gets them into good habits at a young age. I am really pleased to be an ambassador and will love getting involved.”
didi rugby CEO and founder Vicky Macqueen added: “Jodie is a joy to be around and her attitude is infectious.
“She was brilliant doing our Skills and Storytime session online (see pic below) and we are absolutely made-up that she has chosen to become a didi ambassador.
Jodie Ounsley doing a Facebook live broadcast for didi rugby
“I am sure she will be inspiring lots of other youngsters to take up the sport and join our classes in the coming months.”
Jodie was born without hearing but a Cochlear ear implant and speech therapy has vastly improved her ability to communicate with speech.
Champion
Even so, life was far from easy at a mainstream school and she became drawn away from academic pursuits and into the sporting environment. PE, athletics and running were things she loved doing and success soon followed.
She is a five-times champion of the annual ‘Coal Race’ in her native Yorkshire where you literally run for a mile with a bag on coal on your shoulders!
Ju-Jitsu titles arrived in her teens and then she flew to Turkey as a 16-year-old to compete against fully-grown women in the 100m and 200m Deaf Olympics.
By then, rugby was already on the horizon but doctors had warned against the dangers of playing contacts sports like rugby with the implant. Her dad looked into it and was satisfied that that danger would be greatly reduced with a scrum cap on.
Hearing issues
“I soon rocked up at my local club, Sandal, with a scrum cap and boots and explained I was keen to play but had hearing issues,” Jodie Ounsley explained.
“They threw me quickly into a side and then threw me onto a pitch where I really didn’t have much of a club what was going on. I found myself on the wing and when I first went for the ball, I literally tripped up over my own shoelace! I picked up the ball and just ran for my life. Somehow, I passed a few people and scored a try. It was exhilarating and I loved it.
Jodie got a place at Loughborough College aged 16 and left home ‘to play rugby’.
There was soon age-range appearances for England but her rugby career really took off after she had recovered from a dislocated shoulder.
Olympic Games
Then came the Nandos with mum and dad, an England Sevens deal, a new club in Sale Sharks, the Deaf Sports Personality of the Year 2020 award and a driving ambition to represent Great Britain in the Olympic Games still firmly in her thoughts.
“I would say to anyone who struggles with a disability, just go for it and try rugby,” said Jodie. “Don’t let your disability not be the reason for giving rugby a go.”
Professional rugby referee Sara Cox is didi rugby’s latest ambassador.
And she is keen to support classes that will teach youngsters the ‘valuable social skills’ to help them grow as individuals from an early age.
Sara first got involved in rugby when she was 14 and represented local clubs Exeter, Saracens and Cullompton before she retired from playing the game at the age of 17.
Undeterred, Sara qualified as a rugby referee, officiated her first international when Italy played Ireland in 2014, added the World Cup in France to her CV and, in 2016, became the first female ref to be centrally contracted by the English RFU.
Career
In 2020, she was assistant referee at the Bath v Wasps men’s game in the Gallagher Premiership, with her first appointment in the middle of a top tier English game surely only a matter of time away.
While’s Sara’s professional career goes from strength to strength, she is also studying for a MSc at Edinburgh Napier University and is determined to encourage as many youngsters as possible to get involved in didi rugby and learn skills to help them succeed in life.
didi rugby ambassador Sara Cox
“Getting involved in didi rugby at an early age teaches children lots of different things,” said Sara. “It’s less about the rugby at that age and more about the interaction with other kids and learning social skills along the way.
“In all walks of life, at any age, you will always have to deal with other human beings and the earlier you start to learn the skills required to do that, you can carry that on into adulthood.”
Sara Cox
Having been a shining light for women’s progress in rugby, Sara is obviously keen for young girls to take up a sport that has been very good to her.
And she is encouraging girls of any age to take on the challenges that may come their way.
“Humans have challenges in all walks of life and in whatever they do,” said Sara. “We all have hurdles to get over and the challenges do not stop. You have to keep moving with the times and embrace what comes your way.”
Role model
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen says the whole didi rugby team is excited to have Sara on board.
“Not only is Sara a wonderful referee and a great person, she is an inspiration to any youngster taking up the sport,” says Vicky.
“Sara has decided to become a didi rugby ambassador and support our efforts to get young people active and having fun. Her determination is a great example to young people and she is a fantastic role model too. ”
Founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen has pledged to children and parents with didi rugby memberships that they will be offered fun, online classes and activities to last them through the latest national lockdown in England.
Having enjoyed an incredibly busy time since the restrictions of the first lockdown were lifted, indoor and outdoor didi rugby classes across the country were forced to stop once again for the foreseeable future on January 5.
didi coaches hard at work on Zoom to come up with ideas for their online classes
Undeterred – and with plenty of experience from the first time around – didi rugby will be providing some exciting online options for its members to keep children engaged, learning and having fun with other members of their family.
Online classes will also enable didi members to see the friendly faces of their local coaches throughout lockdown and take part in a group activity with children they would normally see on a weekly basis.
Story time
Vicky will also be posting daily challenges and offering competition prizes to keep children and parents very much on their toes. While the incredibly popular evening ‘story time’ is set to make a return to didi’s Facebook page after England star Heather Fisher read to children every week day during Lockdown 1 back in 2020.
“Never has it been more important for kids to do some physical activity, see a familiar face and have fun,” says former England international Vicky.
A laptop computer shows an online didi rugby class
“We are determined to make sure that the children and parents who love our sessions still have the opportunity to take part in a didi class every single week for as long as these latest restrictions last for.
“I can promise lots of fun and interaction in a delivery that will be easy to access for every parent on whatever device they choose.
Online classes
“As soon as the latest pandemic restrictions were announced by the Prime Minister, all of our franchisees got together on a Zoom meeting (pictured) to discuss ideas and share best practice and we left that meeting ready, determined and ambitious in what we could achieve for our members.
“Of course, we would all prefer to be meeting our wonderful didi stars in person but, until we are allowed to again, we are all really excited and can’t wait to get going with our online offering.
“This is a challenging time for parents across the country and I promise to those parents with children in our classes that we are by your side every step of the way and will do whatever we can to keep them active and engaged.”
If you would like to join one of our online classes for a free taster session, please contact your local coaches (check www.didirugby.com or on Facebook) or book in online at: www.didirugby.com/find-a-class.
didi founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen opens up on an incredible 2020 which has brought untold challenges – but many rewards.
I don’t know about you, but it seems like this year has lasted about three years.
I guess it’s because of the amount of challenges we have faced during the pandemic in 2020, both from a personal and business perspective. Three years’ worth of challenges to overcome…in 12 months.
I am 100% certain I am not alone in feeling that way.
Lost loved ones
Being involved in such a public-facing business as didi rugby, I am fortunate enough to meet some lovely people every week. From speaking to mums, dads, aunts, uncles and grandparents, I have heard stories of struggles and difficulties. People have lost their jobs and, even worse, people have lost loved ones too.
The low point of my year came with ongoing grief of the loss of a loved one. Not to Covid – but to cancer. My beautiful niece Jess passed away in late 2019 after a short battle with a very aggressive cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. It is extremely rare in children but she was just nine years old. It was a devastating blow to my family and it has been hard to bounce back in 2020. I’m determined to do what I can to stop other families going through what we have been through and ran the London Marathon to start raising money for research into the condition.
Vicky Macqueen goes through the finish line after running a marathon
The wonderful team here at didi helped me through those tough times and we went on to face many more challenges as a business when the pandemic began to take a hold.
Instead of sitting still when the first national lockdown came about, we quickly developed an online outlet to host our classes. Across the country, our coaches were able to see their didi stars every week. And parents and children alike bought into the ‘new normal’ that we were all trying to get used to. It was great to see and we were able to share some lovely pictures and videos of front rooms, kitchens and gardens being turned into didi classrooms!
Social distancing in 2020
I would like to thank every parent for their help and support during that difficult time. It really meant a lot.
When the Government allowed us to go back to classes with social distancing and reduced numbers, it was important for us not just to tell parents that our covid-safe measures were in place but to show them too.
I remember filming a video which took parents through every step of our measures before, during and after a class and thinking we would have to keep innovating and developing what we did as we welcomed people back.
A coach and child have fun at a didi rugby class
That was a really rewarding time to be the CEO of this business. Not only were parents and children supportive and delighted to be back outside, mixing and having fun but our coaches up and down the country were coming up with new ideas every week. They were truly inspirational as work mates and it was great to be a part of.
We shared ideas on best-practice, safety and ways to do new things in classes with reduced numbers. They say ‘necessity is the mother of all invention’ and this spell certainly proved that.
The numbers in our classes grew as the year went on and restrictions dwindled. Thankfully, we were able to continue classes during Lockdown 2.
There is still clearly some way to go until we are over this pandemic. But with a vaccine being rolled out across the country, there is certainly a great deal of hope in 2021.
I am excited about what lies ahead. didi rugby will continue to grow and I am more determined than ever to spread the values of fun, confidence and activity to as many children aged between 18 months and 6 years old as possible. After the year they have had, it’s crucial to keep our kids active.
As parents, coaches, children…humans, we have been resilient, agile, empathetic and compassionate to one another.
If we can all take that into 2021, I am certain better things are just around the corner.
