Natakhtari Lemonade and Rugby Association Kick Off ‘Get into Rugby’ Project

The Georgian Rugby Association together with Georgian Rugby Union and Natakhtari Lemonade this week announced the start of the ‘Get into Rugby’ project, signing a memorandum of understanding.

Get into Rugby is designed to promote tag rugby and raise awareness of healthy living. Since it entails the participation of school children, the rules are safe and tailored to children’s needs. The 2017 Natakthari Lemonade Cup festival will be held within the project frames.

169 schools are expected to enrol in the project and almost 300 school teachers will be re-trained to be able to work with over 3500 pupils.

150 schools are already participating in the project with 85 teachers currently benefitting from the retraining program and over 20 instructors specialized to work with school teachers.

The project campaign is being realized under the Europe Rugby recommendations and standards.

“We want it to become an unprecendented social and sports event in Georgia,” said Nikoloz Khundzakishvili, Corporate Affairs Director of Natakhtari Company during the presentation.

“This project is the result of the success and hard work of our rugby players, the Rugby Union and our veteran sportsmen. “We are particularly delighted with the active involvement of the private sector in recent years. What’s most important with this initiative is that the younger generation will have the chance to utilize their talent to the maximum. Future stars will be born!” said Tariel Khuchikashvili, Minsiter of Sports and Youth of Georgia.

According to Giorgi Kacharava, President of the Georgian Rugby Association, within the framework of the project, school teachers of Physical Education will be retrained with the help of certified instructors. “For the moment over 100 schools are enrolled and possibly every Tbilisi school will participate. The goal of the Get into Rugby campaign is to get children acquainted with rugby values. At the same time the project focuses on developing Rugby playing skills,” he said.

Gocha Svanidze, President of the Rugby Union of Georgia noted that the success of Rugby club largely ensured the growing interest in the ‘Get into Rugby’ project, both from children and their parents, who want their children to play rugby. “This project will definitely give our youth a unique chance to develop their talents and skills in rugby and become successful sportsmen in this field. It will also help to establish a healthy lifestyle and promote rugby as a sport, bringing sustainability to its development. I believe these children will certainly bring glory to our country.”

Nino Gugunishvili