SP Energy Networks Community Spotlight | Ross Haggerty

Ross leads the Primary Sevens at GHA and has recently been appointed to the GHA Board as Junior Rugby Director. This new role as Junior Rugby Director, will allow him to further develop rugby for young people, as well as get more involved with voluntary work the GHA first team do.  

Doug Perrott, who nominated Ross was delighted that he was selected. He said, “Ross has played a critical role at GHA starting way back with the P1 squad where he started with a small group of enthusiastic children that has grown steadily to 50 P7s and half a dozen coaches. 

“The amount of time, energy and commitment Ross has – and continues to – put into the squad is quite incredible. The sense of teamwork, community and love of rugby is truly infectious.” 

Speaking about being recognised for his work, Ross was delighted, he was full of praise for the children he coaches. He said “I have been a coach at the Minis at GHA Rugby Club for 7 years and these have been the best years of my adult life (outside wife and kids of course!).  

“It is a huge responsibility to be in charge of children and also to help them all fall in love with the game of rugby. My whole ethos is for the children to first love the game, ignoring everything else like results, performance, etc. If you can create a passion for the game then it will stay with you for life.”

Part of being recognised as the SP Energy Networks Community Spotlight, is about the work you do within the club.  Ross understands what matters to the children and sometimes it isn’t always rugby.  

“The kids I coach are fantastic, polite, funny and bring you down to earth. I recall trying to teach them offside rule and they were all interested in a ladybug on the grass… and do you know what, why not?! It mattered to the kids, so I escorted the ladybug off the field and then got back to the rugby!” 

Having been recently appointed as a Director, Ross, has plans to further develop the game and work within the local community.  

“We have plans to develop the youth game and reaching further into the local community, getting into more schools and encouraging them to join a club.” 

Ross presented the match ball for Glasgow Warriors last night (Friday 3 November) for club’s game against the DHL Stormers.  

On being invited to present the match ball, Ross said, “Anyone who thinks about coaching kids’ rugby, my advice is do it! It leads to truly amazing things, like presenting the ball at a Glasgow Warriors game!”  

Nominations for the next Community Spotlight are now open and the form can be found here.