Kesteven Rugby Club Archives

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.

“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.

Contact Kerri on kerri.arlando@didirugby.com for more information or to book a taster session.

Watch: didi rugby ambassador Emily Scarratt talks about the Six Nations and a possible Women’s Lions’ tour…

There will be plenty of fun and games to be had when didi rugby Grantham opens its doors to the public with a launch event on Saturday 16 November at Kesteven Rugby Club.

It will be the start of a new franchise which is being run by local resident Kerri Arlando.

Beginning at 9.00am, free taster sessions are on offer to anyone who wants to come along and see what didi rugby is all about as we try to spread the values of fun, confidence and activity throughout Lincolnshire and beyond.

Each one of the three didi rugby age groups will have a session on the day and they cover 18 months to 3 years, 3 years to 4 years and 4 years to 6 years of age.

Regular classes will then begin the following Saturday (23^rd) from 9.00am and midweek sessions will also kick off on Wednesday mornings at 9.30am from 27 November.

‘didi rugby is perfect’

Understandably, Kerri can’t wait to get things up and running with didi rugby Grantham at a club she already has strong links with.

Kerri still plays rugby and coaches the Under-11s, meanwhile husband Dimitri coaches the Under-13s. And with two boys Leonard (12) and Alfred (10) playing the game too, rugby features heavily in the Arlando family’s weekly routine.

But with her own children growing up fast, Kerri says she misses the interaction of the little ones and so, with a high demand for something like didi rugby in the area, she decided to set up a franchise.

“didi rugby is perfect for what I want to do,” said Kerri. “It is something I can do when they kids are at school and is something that I really love because I love coaching the little kids. They are so funny and I know that my forte.

“We have had lots of parents asking how old you have to be to join the club at Kesteven but we do not have anything below our under-6s, so didi rugby can get them involved from a very young age.