Medway RFC Brings Mixed Ability Rugby to Kent
Matt Kuhn, who heads up Medway rugby club’s girls’ section, and the club President, Mark Marriott, were at a Volunteer of the Year awards event at Twickenham Stadium.
There and then, they realised that running mixed ability rugby, which another club had been nominated for, would be something their club would love to get involved with.
“We chatted to them for about 20 minutes, never having heard about mixed ability rugby teams,” said Matt. “We knew straight away that it was something our club should do. Every Monday and Friday adults with learning difficulties use our clubhouse and we realised that putting the two together would work nicely.”
And so, after a meeting with International Mixed Ability Sport and advice from Surrey Chargers who play at Chobham RFC, and whose players told them online the difference mixed ability rugby made to their lives, the Medway RFC Cannons were launched.
With a substantial sponsorship from Jacobs engineering consultancy, kit and equipment is covered for the initial years. A match involving Surrey Chargers and a President’s team of those keen to get the Cannons firing was played at the Medway’s Priestfields ground and followed by lunch and watching England beat South Africa.
The following week saw four keen new players training for the Cannons and then six and, from now on, training will take place every Saturday, building up to the Cannons first match some time in 2022.
Kate Kuhn, Matt’s wife, who teaches young adults with autism, is heading up the new mixed ability venture and says: “Physical activity and outdoor enjoyment can make a huge difference to all of us and I’m sure the mixed ability team will grow and grow. There are lots of instances of adults with autism and other challenges getting great benefits from a team environment and we are proud to be the first mixed ability team in Kent.”
