• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Polar Bear Rugby Camp

Polar Bear Rugby Camp

  • Camp Experience
  • Camp Schedule
  • Coach Education
  • More Info
    • Staff & Coaches
    • Facilities
    • Fees & Policies
    • Contact
  • Register
Coach Russell Earnshaw giving a talk to a group of people

Coach Education

Polar Bear Rugby Camp offers a Coach Development Course that gives experienced and new coaches a unique and unparalleled opportunity to learn the practical, philosophical, technical, and tactical elements of effective coaching in a fun and purely positive learning environment! Russell Earnshaw is, without a doubt, at the top of his game as a creative and inspiring coach educator. The small group size and personalized learning curriculum are designed to meet your individual needs. Course includes discussions, videos, games, and on-the-field learning, using the Polar Bear Rugby Camp as an ‘experiential classroom’.

This course is approved and will earn you the maximum 10 CPD points (Coaching Prof. Development) required to maintain USAR/WR coaching certification, but delivers so much more! If you’re looking to improve your coaching expertise with a top rugby coach educator, mark your calendar and register soon! Space is limited. Please email [email protected] with questions or for more information.

In addition to preparatory work online, you’ll receive 4 days of quality instruction, discussion and observation in groups and on the pitch, along with on-field practicals and follow up coaching during the year. Each coach stays in a private room with towels and linens, receives all meals in Bowdoin’s top-ranked dining hall, access to Bowdoin’s facilities and a camp jersey. Arrive Thursday afternoon; camp ends Sunday early afternoon.

A group of Coach Education participants on a field

The curriculum includes:

  • Goal setting
  • Developing your coaching philosophy
  • Creating positive learning environments
  • Skill acquisition
  • Gamification:  Coaching through games, optimize learning outcome through changing constraints
  • Practice Design & Individual Practice Planning
  • Co-Coaching: Practical application session in sub-unit skill area of choice

Specific Skill Building:

  • Confidence in Contact – Defensive skills
  • Handling – Catch/Pass/Kick
  • Decision Making on Attack
  • GCA:  Games – Contest Approach, using Outcome Goals
  • Defense
  • Forward & Back Play; Team Play
Coach Russell Earnshaw instructing a group

Meet The Instructor

We are fortunate to have Russell Earnshaw lead the Coach Education Course for his 6th year. Russell is a former England player and Coach of England U18s. Creator of RFUs Magic Academy and the C.A.R.D.S. coaching philosophy, he is a Level 4 RFU coach, Coach Developer, Coach Educator and Level 4 mentor in high demand across the rugby world. We are very excited to have him with us this July! You’ll walk away with an arsenal of information & inspiration!

From Past Participants

Treat yourself to an amazing environment of coaching immersion that will excite and inspire you to coach!

Bowdoin’s Polar Bear Rugby Camp Coach Education Course gave me an entirely new perspective on the game, tactical vision, and the player/coach relationship. The experience was an outstanding investment in my coaching self development.

The coaching clinic at the Polar Bear Rugby Camp was well worth the cross-country flight from California. Marybeth, Rusty, and Griff created such a positive, accessible learning environment that encouraged me to be innovative and critical about my own coaching. The camp provided all of the coaches many opportunities to put their ideas and plans into practice and we also were able to learn from each other. It was my impression that I was able to gain so much from the coaching course because the theme throughout the clinic was that rugby is fun and so it stands to reason that learning how to grow within the game of rugby should also be fun for the players and the coaches. When I first watched Rusty running around with the boys playing touch I initially thought, look at this crazy fool – is he coaching or just having fun? Fast forward to the end of camp games, and the young boys’ game was by far the best display of players who were able to identify and exploit space, work well with their teammates and just have fun playing rugby. It was a testament to how Rusty’s coaching gives players the opportunity to express themselves, have fun, and learn how to play rugby at the same time. Thinking about how to create a positive learning environment and encourage joy and understanding with our players was a very important concept that we were able to expound and study and learn about. I enjoyed the camp immensely and was able to rediscover meaning behind why I continue to coach. The coaching clinic was hard, exhausting at times, lots of work, lots of thinking, and lots of fun. There is great coffee nearby and a beautiful campus to enjoy. I would highly recommend the coaching clinic to all coaches.

The Coaching Workshop at the Polar Bear Rugby Camp offered the unique and challenging experience of working one-on-one with some of the most accomplished rugby thinkers in coaching today. MaryBeth, Griff, and the other head coaches worked with me to customize their messages to suit my exact experience level and coaching needs. Though only a single weekend long, the intensive workshop pushed me to develop my observational, analytical, introspective, and communicative skills in a nuanced, holistic way. I had never–and have not since–experienced a coaching-educational opportunity that offered such depth and support with a personal touch.

The Polar Bear coaching clinic offered the opportunity for me to expand my comfort zone in my coaching style. I learned different styles by observing the coaching staff and in residence coaches. The opportunity to build lesson plans with various coaches enabled me to better connect with my athletes, experience different view points to get skills across to the athletes, and to feel comfortable in adding new skills into my toolbox. The environment was presented in a way to allow for idea growth, allow for mistakes, and to gain the satisfaction in seeing the athletes enjoy the game more. The coaching staff and coaches in residence were very supportive of each other, learning from each other, and helping each other expand their networks. We were able to be open with each other on our abilities and our flaws and work to improve both. The soft skills learned are valuable life lessons, and I was able to even transition those skills to my work environment as well as the rugby coaching environment.

Registration Information - COaching course

  • Residential price includes housing in a private room, linen and towels, all meals from Bowdoin’s top-ranked Dining Service, a camp jersey, curriculum, course materials, insurance, professional instructor’s fee and ‘live’ coaching practicals.
  • Commuter price includes all the same, plus lunch & dinner without housing.
  • For payment you can select credit card, Venmo or check at the end of the online registration form. If paying by check or need a payment plan, please click the “Pay by Check” box and do not submit your credit card information.  We will contact you to make arrangements.

Registration Fees

  • EARLY Registration (by 5/24/25): $700 Residential/$550 Commuter
  • Registration: $750 Residential/$600 Commuter
  • Payment Plans and Financial Discounts are available if needed. Please call or email to discuss!

Ready to get started?

Register Now

We are on Instagram

Don’t miss out on the early discount 🐥

Sign up with link in Bio ✨

30 0
Open
Don’t miss out on the early discount 🐥

Sign up with link in Bio ✨

Don’t miss out on the early discount 🐥

Sign up with link in Bio ✨
...

30 0

📌 Bowdoin College
🗓️ July 10-13
⭐️ World class instruction

27 0
Open
📌 Bowdoin College
🗓️ July 10-13
⭐️ World class instruction

📌 Bowdoin College
🗓️ July 10-13
⭐️ World class instruction
...

27 0

📣 Coaches! Level up your game this July with world-class coach Russell Earnshaw at Polar Bear Rugby Camp 🐻‍❄️🏉 Limited spots — link in bio to sign up

#CoachDevelopment #RugbyCoaching #PolarBearRugby

23 2
Open
📣 Coaches! Level up your game this July with world-class coach Russell Earnshaw at Polar Bear Rugby Camp 🐻‍❄️🏉 Limited spots — link in bio to sign up

 #CoachDevelopment #RugbyCoaching #PolarBearRugby

📣 Coaches! Level up your game this July with world-class coach Russell Earnshaw at Polar Bear Rugby Camp 🐻‍❄️🏉 Limited spots — link in bio to sign up

#CoachDevelopment #RugbyCoaching #PolarBearRugby
...

23 2

Summer 2025 ☀️

36 2
Open
Summer 2025 ☀️

Summer 2025 ☀️ ...

36 2

✅ Register now for early bird discount
✅Elite coaching
✅Take your game to the next level
✅World class coaching course

#rugby #girlsrugby #usarugby #rugbycamp

42 1
Open
✅ Register now for early bird discount
✅Elite coaching
✅Take your game to the next level
✅World class coaching course

#rugby #girlsrugby #usarugby #rugbycamp

✅ Register now for early bird discount
✅Elite coaching
✅Take your game to the next level
✅World class coaching course

#rugby #girlsrugby #usarugby #rugbycamp
...

42 1

Ready to perfect your tackle?

📌 Polar Bear Rugby Camp
📈 Level up your skills
🔗 Meet like minded athletes

#girlsrugny #womensrugny #rugbycamp #rugbytackle

99 0
Open
Ready to perfect your tackle? 

📌 Polar Bear Rugby Camp
📈 Level up your skills
🔗 Meet like minded athletes

#girlsrugny #womensrugny #rugbycamp #rugbytackle

Ready to perfect your tackle?

📌 Polar Bear Rugby Camp
📈 Level up your skills
🔗 Meet like minded athletes

#girlsrugny #womensrugny #rugbycamp #rugbytackle
...

99 0

🚀Take your Rugby Coaching to the next level.
🥇 Expert training from Russell Earnshaw.
📌Polar Bear Rugby Camp @ Bowdoincollege.
🧑‍💻Gain elite insights.
📈Develop skills to enhance your coaching.
🐥 Early bird pricing available!

49 1
Open
🚀Take your Rugby Coaching to the next level.
🥇 Expert training from Russell Earnshaw.
📌Polar Bear Rugby Camp @ Bowdoincollege.
 🧑‍💻Gain elite insights.
📈Develop skills to enhance your coaching.
🐥 Early bird pricing available!

🚀Take your Rugby Coaching to the next level.
🥇 Expert training from Russell Earnshaw.
📌Polar Bear Rugby Camp @ Bowdoincollege.
🧑‍💻Gain elite insights.
📈Develop skills to enhance your coaching.
🐥 Early bird pricing available!
...

49 1

🐻‍❄️🏉 Polar Bear Rugby Camp registration is OPEN! Join us July 10-13, 2025, for top-tier coaching, high-level competition, and nonstop rugby action. Early bird pricing available—sign up now!!

Link to register is in our bio.

#rugbycamp #womensrugby #girlsrugby

79 4
Open
🐻‍❄️🏉 Polar Bear Rugby Camp registration is OPEN! Join us July 10-13, 2025, for top-tier coaching, high-level competition, and nonstop rugby action. Early bird pricing available—sign up now!!

Link to register is in our bio.

#rugbycamp #womensrugby #girlsrugby

🐻‍❄️🏉 Polar Bear Rugby Camp registration is OPEN! Join us July 10-13, 2025, for top-tier coaching, high-level competition, and nonstop rugby action. Early bird pricing available—sign up now!!

Link to register is in our bio.

#rugbycamp #womensrugby #girlsrugby
...

79 4

Just think where rugby can take you! Proud to be part of this community 💖🙏

69 3
Open
Just think where rugby can take you! Proud to be part of this community 💖🙏

Just think where rugby can take you! Proud to be part of this community 💖🙏 ...

69 3

📸📸

70 1
Open
📸📸

📸📸 ...

70 1

Coach Development Coaches, Led by Russell Earnshaw.

71 2
Open
Coach Development Coaches, Led by Russell Earnshaw.

Coach Development Coaches, Led by Russell Earnshaw. ...

71 2

Day 4 in pictures 📸

108 1
Open
Day 4 in pictures 📸

Day 4 in pictures 📸 ...

108 1
Load More Follow on Instagram

Polar Bear Rugby Camp

July 10 - July 13 2025

  • Camp Experience
  • Schedule
  • Coach Education
  • Staff & Coaches
  • Facilities
  • Fees & Policies
  • Contact
  • Register
Copyright © 2025 Polar Bear Rugby Camp Developed by Anania Bailey
  • Camp Experience
  • Camp Schedule
  • Coach Education
  • More Info
    • Staff & Coaches
    • Facilities
    • Fees & Policies
    • Contact
  • Register