We are experiencing a bit of a youth rugby ”Spring” as we have four youth sides not only competing but winning and playing exciting rugby in competitive matches in the UK RFU Leagues. Two of the Guernsey youth teams are currently unbeaten in the Hampshire Leagues. Congratulations must go to all the coaches and players who have brought this transformation about through hard work and commitment in training. This is shaping up to be our best season ever.
It seems appropriate to reflect briefly on what we have achieved in the first half of the rugby season and to look forward at what we have to expect in the New Year.
On and off field highlights 2011
1. 16 new level 1 coaches qualified.
2. 80 Guernsey players attended the Tiger’s coaching week.
3. 300+ players and 50 coaches all have new sponsor branded kit.
4. 20 Guernsey players sent for Hampshire County trials.
5. Dom Rice and Rachel Merrien won places in Hampshire County squads and both now join Luke Jones, who retained his place from last year and is now in Hampshire under 18s this season.
6. Luke Jones has been selected to play for Leicester Tigers under 18s.
7. Rachel Merrien is going to be asked to trial for eastern counties under 18 women’s squad.
8. 4 Guernsey youth teams are competing in the UK RFU Leagues.
9. Colts are placed 6th in Sussex having Played 3, Won 1 and lost 2.
10. Colts beat La Manche regional select for the Nobby Norman Memorial trophy.
11. Under 16s are placed 2nd in Hampshire League having Played 2 and Won 2.
12. Under 15s are placed 1st in their Hampshire League having Played 4 and Won 4.
13. Under 14s are placed 3rd in their Hampshire League having Played 4, Won 3 and Lost 1.
14. Under 13s played Brighton Away in November – an A level fixture where they performed well.
15. Under 12s attended Saracens Land Rover Premiership Cup and won a coveted place at the Saracens Champions event in March 2012.
16. Under 11s attended the Guilfordian’s festival.
17. Under 10s attended the New Milton “Shaping the Game” festival.
18. Under 9s have been to Jersey and had a joint training session with three games.
19. Under 8s, 7s and 6s are working towards their RFU proficiency awards.
20. The Guernsey Academy were runners up in the National Junior Club of the Year awards at Twickenham.
21. HRH the Princess Royal opened the new rugby clubhouse and came to see the Mini players hold a training session.
22. The Academy has 320 paid up members and expects this to be 350 before the end of the season.
23. The Academy website and Face Book page have had over 100,000 hits and have 2,000 rugby action photos uploaded.
24. Since September the Academy has sent 300+ young players off island to play rugby away games.
25. We have roasted 6 pigs at 1st XV fixtures and this has raised an estimated £3,000 for Academy funds and raised over £6,000 with the Grand Raffle.
26. Geraint Cooper the Collins Stewart Wealth Management’s, Rugby Development Officer is running rugby sessions in every school in the Island.
Playing expectations for 2012
1. The Colts are off to Italy on a self-funded tour at February half-term with three competitive games. In addition the Colts will be playing at least 6 more games in the UK against Ukfield, Bognor, Horsham, Crowborough, Hastings and Bexhill and Haywards Heath (Home) from Sussex. The Colts will also be playing 5 more games in Guernsey against St Jacques, the Vets and Guernsey 2nd XV and the Siam and a game in France against La Manche select. On the weekend of 7th and 8th April 2012 we are trying to arrange a Colts Festival in Guernsey and have invited London Wasps (interest expressed) and Romford and two other clubs. Haywards Heath are already booked and confirmed.
2. Under 16s will be playing at least 8 more fixtures Andover, Romsey, Fawley, Gosport and Fareham, Eastleigh, the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home.
3. Under 15s will be playing at least 6 more games against Alton, Fareham Heathens, Aldershot and Fleet, Havant Sharks, the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home.
4. Under 14s will be playing at least 5 more games against Alton, Fareham Heathens, Eastleigh, the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home.
5. Under 13s will be playing at least 5 more games against Ukfield, Shoreham, Weybridge Vandals, the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home.
6. Under 12s will be playing at least 6 more games against Winchester, an RFU Festival in Hampshire, Heathfield Festival, the Saracens’ Championship event at Wembley, the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home.
7. Under 11s will be playing at least 4 more games with a weekend trip to Leicester Tigers, an RFU Festival in Hampshire, and the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home. There are discussions about a further Jersey trip to play UK opposition as well.
8. Under 10s will be playing at least 4 more games with trips to New Milton Festival, an RFU Festival in Hampshire, and the St LÔ Festival and the Siam at Home. There may also be an oportunity to play a triangle in Jersey when there is a visiting side playing there as well.
9. Under 9s will be playing at up to 4 more games with trips to New Milton Festival, an RFU Festival in Hampshire, and perhaps the St LÔ Festival (contact rugby) and the Siam at Home.
10. Under 8s will be playing at least 2 more games with an RFU Festival in Hampshire, and the Siam at Home.
11. Under 7s and under 6s will hopefully be off on a trip to a festival as well as be playing Jersey in the Siam at Home.
12. All mini, midi and youth Academy players up to aged 16 will be taking the RFU proficiency awards.
13. The above fixtures list will involve more than 700 more away player trips for young Academy players before May 2012.
14. On 10th March 2012 we will hold the Collins Stewart Wealth Management Tag Festival attended by some 400 primary school boys and girls and parents drawn from nearly every school in the Island.
15. On 14th April 2012 we will host the Junior Siam at the Garenne stand and for the first time be able to host the Jersey Academy in the new rugby club house.
16. Guernsey Academy Ladies rugby players will travel to the UK to train and play with other Hampshire girls teams.
This is a full and packed programme with an additional 750 away trips across all the age groups to look forward to and enjoy in the new year.
Yours in Rugby
Charlie
Chairman’s Welcome – we are aiming to improve coaching skills and performance of our players.
The Guernsey Rugby Academy is the only rugby club on the Island for young people. The Academy needs to pursue competitive fixtuires off-island in order to improve and develop rugby skills. We work with the generosity of our main sponsor RBS International and our other kind sponsors. We have a fixtures list with games in the UK and in France next season and if you are able to help us raise funds to subsidise away matches for the 2011/12 season we would be most interested in hearing from you. There is an increasing awareness within local businesses in relation to Corporate Social Responsibility and by supporting the Academy this is a good way to be recognised as supporting a worthy community organisation.
The Academy graduated 15 new Rugby Ready and RFU qualified Level 1 coaches in 2010 to help its young players develop their skills and 16 more graduated in 2011. The Academy now has over 40 RFU qualified coaches. Every Licensed Academy coach will take at least one further Continuous Personal Development coaching course unit this year to remain up-to-date and to keep current. We are a community organisation of more than 50 unpaid volunteers working in the community promoting the sport and core values of the game of rugby.
Academy players have completed 290 individual RFU proficiency Awards to help structure and recognise its young players’ skills development.
The Academy teams fulfilled 82 competitive fixtures in the 2010/11 season competitive fixtures of more than 3 x the number of away games played in the 2009/10 season. The Academy Youth teams have entered the Hampshire RFU Leagues at u15 and u16 and the National Colts Cup with u18/19 teams in the 2010/11 season. The Academy Mini and Midi teams have entered festivals organised by Premiership rugby clubs. In 2011/12 the Accademy have entered more competitive fixtures at all ages and in both Hampshire and Sussex RFU leagues for u14, u15, u16 and u18 Colts.
The Academy has been awarded the prestigious RFU ‘Seal of Approval’
This accreditation will help provide: -
• An increase in participation and membership.
• An increase in the standard and number of coaches, referees and volunteers.
• Better links with the local community (schools and colleges).
• Recognition from the RFU for coaches and players.
Our membership has increased from 247 in 2009 to 307 paid up playing members in 2010. This is an increase of 26%. Academy players are drawn from all the Island’s Primary and Secondary schools.
Corporate sponsorships were received with grateful thanks from our main sponsor RBS International as well as Babbe, Intertrust, Rihoy & Son, Ronez, SG Hambros, GRUFC, Guernsey Rugby Association LBG, All Aspects Plumbing & Heating, NAS Laboratories, Ozzies Electrics, Timber Treatments, KPMG, Guernsey Sports Commission, Schroders, Wooden Spoon, Channel Welders and St Pierre Park Hotel. We are most grateful to all our sponsors without whose generocity we could not do what we do.
In the season 2011/12 we have budgeted for more competitive fixtures at all ages in the Hampshire or Sussex leagues for u14, u15, u16 and u18 Colts.
The Academy has established an Elite Player Development Pathway (EPDP), with u13s through u18s special EPDG sessions on three Mondays of every month. The objective of EPDP is to help Guernsey players achieve a minimum skill set by the time they reach the age of 16. This minimum standard will allow players to progress to playing within the senior playing structures in Guernsey and also to further their chances of playing at County standard and above.
EPDP :
I would like to finish by asking you all to come along and support the Academy on match days and to please let me know if you would like to volunteer in any capacity to help us deliver on our action plan.
We want to make certain that our Academy players are as strong as possible. So many boys are coming through now that we want to be able to encourage even more youngsters to take up and enjoy the greatest sport of rugby.
I trust and hope you will support us in our endeavours.
Yours in rugby
Charlie McHugh
Chairman
