Glasgow Warriors back-row calum Forrester dedicated four days a week to his former school

After leaving Hutcheson’s Grammar School in 2004, Forrester continued to volunteer his services as a referee while studying Sports Science at Glasgow University before taking up an assistant coaching role at the school in 2006, when he signed for Glasgow Warriors.

Working around his playing commitments the young back-row coaches the school’s under-18 side three times a week, including match days, and leads a fourth session midweek for the S1 pupils new to the sport.

However, despite filing his application for a UKCC level 2 coaching qualification and a Scottish Rugby strength and conditioning course, a career in coaching in not on the player’s immediate agenda.

“It’s something that I enjoy doing but a career in coaching is a bit far away at the moment,” he explained.

“I’m also doing an Open University course but it’s for business-related qualifications to prepare me for life after rugby now, rather than trying to sort my life out after my playing days.

 “I’m just really passionate about rugby so basically whenever I’m free, that’s when I head down to the school.

“The thing I enjoy most about coaching at the school is that boys don’t see me as a teacher. They enjoy having me as a coach because I basically do the same things with them as we do at Glasgow Warriors.

“I’ll often give them a starting move and encourage them to play off that with their own ideas and moves because, as well as getting the right performance for school games, it’s important that I help to develop the boys’ rugby long term and prepare them for senior rugby.
 
“The boys are very committed. They’re really switched on to the sessions, they buy into it and they really enjoy it.”

North Berwick High School stands between Forrester’s under-18 side and a place in the knockout stages of the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools’ Cup quarter-final, a repeat of a fixture through which Forrester himself progressed in his school days with a 12-12 draw, by the virtue of the an away ruling.

The winner of Saturday’s tie will earn the second spot in pool 2 and will progress to a quarter-final with pool 4 winners, and cup holders, Edinburgh Academy.

Forester added: “This is a must-win game. North Berwick is very tough place to go and play and they are regulars in the latter stages of the competition.

Hutchesons' Grammar celebrating their U15 success at Murrayfield

“But we have had a very strong crop of players coming through the school. Our under-15 sides have reached the semi-final every year for the three years that preceded the 2010 under-15 cup winning side, so all of the pupils in our current under-18 team have that experience and know what it takes to progress.

“The thing that separates school rugby is that it’s a time when you play with all your best mates and this cup weekend is the last opportunity for many of the players to make their mark in this team and be successful in the knockout stages.”

Current Brewin Dolphin Schools' Cup champions
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Cup – Edinburgh Academy
Brewin Dolphin under-15 Cup – Hutcheson’s Grammar School
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Plate – Wellington School
Brewin Dolphin under-16 Plate – High School of Dundee
Brewin Dolphin under-18 Bowl – Aberdeen Grammar School
Brewin Dolphin under-15 Bowl – Earlston High School
* This season the under-15 competition became under-16 in line with the Scottish Rugby safety principles of “Are you ready to play rugby?”

Brewin Dolphin
The Brewin Dolphin Group manages £23 billion of funds for over 130,000 private clients and of this over £13 billion is on a discretionary basis. BD has 41 offices throughout the UK and Channel Islands and Brewin Dolphin Corporate Advisory and Broking is adviser to 90 small and medium size quoted companies and institutions.

The Brewin Dolphin Research department won the Investment Week 2010 Award for best discretionary research. The Brewin Dolphin Group was named Best Discretionary Broker in the Shares Awards 2009 and also received the top awards for its Market Newsletter and Exceptional Performance in Business Support at The Daily Telegraph wealth management awards in 2009.

Please see the Media Centre section on our website (http://www.brewindolphinmedia.co.uk/brw/media) for details and photos of all commentators and analysts throughout the BD Group.