Mini and Junior Section Newsletter

August 06

Welcome

With the new Rugby season almost upon us, and we look forward to welcoming you all back on Sunday, 3rd September from 10.00 a.m.

The 2006-07 season represents Welwyn’s 75th anniversary year, and we will be celebrating throughout the year with a number of special events, details of which will be published on the this website

Personnel

Jane Peterkin has managed our registrations process for the past 3 years and has introduced and streamlined processes in what is now a substantial operation. Jane has decided to concentrate on managing events within the club. Our special thanks go to Jane as she hands over the registrations management to Tracey Slaughter (Mini’s) and Carol Watson (Juniors), who have ably assisted in this area over the past few seasons

After introducing and managing the club’s Child Protection Policy, a critical area which ensures the ongoing welfare of our Mini and Junior players, a key factor in our being one of the first clubs in the County to attain the RFU’s coveted Seal of Approval accreditation, June White has decided to step down as Club Child Protection Officer. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to June and wish her well for the future. Jo Wood has kindly agreed to take over this role, and I’m sure you will get to know Jo over the coming months. June has also stepped down as Manager of the Girls Teams, and we welcome Dave Marques as Girls Team Manager for the coming season – Dave brings with him a wealth of experience gained over 9 years as coach and Manager at Hatfield Hyde Cricket Club. Dave will work closely with Luke Williams who will continue to coach the hugely successful U17 Girls, and Jess Lane, a key player in last year’s Welwyn Warriors U17’s, who takes over the role of the Girls U14’s coach

We also say farewell to Peter Flynn, who, after managing the team who will be this year’s Under 11’s for the past 3 seasons, is emigrating to Yorkshire with his family. Peter, like Sir Clive Woodward before him, departs having delivered some coveted silverware to the club in the form of the County Cup, after drawing with Bishop’s Stortford in the U10’s final at the County Festival, held at Hemel Hempstead back in April. Paul Ryan, who has been coaching this team with Peter since the 2003-04 season, succeeds Peter as team Manager and we wish Paul and the team continued success this year. Peter also introduced the role of Club Coach Co-ordinator to the club, working with the coaches to ensure their continuing education and development to ensure we deliver the highest standards of coaching to our players. Rod Faircloth has kindly agreed to fulfil this role in the coming season. Rod coaches the U17’s team and brings a wealth of experience from both coaching and playing at the highest levels.

For the first time in several years, last season saw the re-introduction of a COLTS team at Welwyn, managed by Dom Basse, with administration managed by Christine Robert. COLTS rugby is extremely important to the development of our club, to ensure we have a constant stream of talented players to feed into our senior sides and participate in the long-term success of the club as a whole. Unfortunately, both the COLTs and the U17’s suffered from both a dwindling player base and a shortage of fixtures, as other clubs also struggled at these age groups. However, by combining forces Dom and Mick Hills, U17’s Manager managed to galvanise a combined U18’s team who united to perform with great spirit and form the base of what will be, I’m sure, an even more successful COLTs team this season, managed By Mick, along with Simon Lynch and Jon Humphries.

Registration – As in previous years, registration points will be set up in the Clubhouse to facilitate registration. Registration forms can be downloaded here and completed in advance, so that you can save time on the day. Enclosed with your newsletter we have included pre-printed registration forms for your convenience – please take a moment to check that the details are accurate, and sign the forms, or make any amendments, and remember to bring the forms with you on Registration Day, in order to greatly streamline the process.

Due to a change in laws governing the licensing of clubs, last year we introduced the Family membership scheme to ensure that parent-members were able to legitimately use the club’s bar facilities without taking out any individual adult membership For the coming season, membership fees will be as follows:

Parents + 1 playing child – membership fee will be £25.00
Membership fee for all additional playing children - £20.00

“Family” membership cards will be available at registration.

This structure will legally permit parents of players to use our bar facilities, but it should be noted that such family membership will not entitle the holder full club membership privileges, which include voting rights, access to the Gym and the right to apply through the club for International tickets. However, our VP membership, which extends to the holder full rights, is available for the still exceptionally low price of £20.00 minimum per individual adult. Voluntary donations above this rate are, of course, gratefully received.

On registration day our friends from OPRO will again be in attendance, to enable players to order custom-made mouth guards, fitted by fully trained dental technicians. Our children’s teeth are of great importance to us all, and Welwyn RFC adopts a policy of mandatory mouth guards for all players involved in contact Rugby. OPRO mouth guards come in a range of designs, come with a 12 month warranty, and provide for up to £1000 of dental cover in the unlikely event players sustain damage to their teeth while wearing an OPRO guard. Enclosed you will find OPRO forms which you can complete in advance to save time on registration day, or indeed you can pre-order by visiting OPRO’s website at www.opro.com - simply follow the order process for schools, and you will find Welwyn RFC listed – please indicate school/club visit, and you then only need to turn up on 3rd September and have dental impression taken. If your are unable to attend on 3rd September, you can either send the enclosed form directly to OPRO or follow the instructions on their website under ‘OPD’ to order at any time.

On registration day we will be holding a Barbeque immediately after training, so please stick around and enjoy the relaxed social atmosphere for which Welwyn is rightly renowned. On this note, manning for barbeques and other areas, including helping out in the kitchens, parking marshals, staffing of the bar and assistance in administration areas, are performed by volunteers, so if you feel you would like to get involved please put your best foot forward and let us know.

Saracens Partnership Programme – This season we will be continuing our links with local Guinness Premiership side, Saracens. Through this relationship, all club members will have the opportunity to:

Attend Saracens home games at Vicarage Rd. with some of our players having the opportunity to participate in pre-match activities, including matches on the main pitch at Watford, and forming the guard of honour as Saracens players take to the field

Saracens 1st team player visits to our club to assist us with training and player development.

All U12 and younger will enjoy FREE membership to Sarries Squad. A Youth membership (U13-U16) will also be introduced this season – again membership will be free and will include a goodie-filled joining pack.

As membership is free and you have enough forms to contend with, we intend to provide an opt-out facility at registration so if you do not wish for your child to join the Saracens Membership programme you should indicate this at registration

Additionally, involvement in the Partnership programme will enable our coach’s access to the professional coaches at Saracens to help us to develop the same techniques and skills in our players as those used by the likes of Richard Hill and Thomas Castagneide

We are running the 1st trip of the season to attend the London Double Header at Twickenham on Saturday, 2nd September. This event was hugely popular last season, with over 50,000 at the ground to see Saracens play London Wasps, and we have the good fortune to have the opportunity to see the same competition this year! In addition, you get the opportunity to see London Irish vs Harlequins, who managed to bounce back after one season in National Division 1 on the same programme, all for the price of £27.00 adult/ £17.00 Child. The price includes return coach transportation from Welwyn RFC and a Buffet lunch.
Full details are available on the website – www.welwynrugby.co.uk or contact Mike Flint direct on 07929 422406 or email to m.flint@lineone.net.

We have targeted several other fixtures during the season, which we will actively promote, with support from Saracens:

Saracens vs Bath (Guinness Premiership) Sunday 15/10/06
Saracens vs Parma (European Challenge Cup) Sunday 10/12/06
Saracens vs Gloucester (Guinness Premiership) Sunday 18/02/07

It only leaves me to wish you all great success and, above all, enjoyment, in your Rugby during the 2006-07 season. See you in September.

Gary Peterkin
Chairman – Mini and Junior Section
Welwyn Rugby Football Club

Phone: 07973 429343
E-mail – minichairman@welwynrugby.co.uk