Coaching Improvements & Senior Player Recruitment
15th June 2010
COACHING IMPROVEMENTS & SENIOR PLAYER RECRUITMENT.
Dear Member,
Having now had 2 impressive seasons in London Division One (previously London Two) we now have a good understanding of the standard we need our players to be at to enable us to compete at this level. At the end of our first season in this league we carried out an appraisal of the ability of all our players. We also critically reviewed both the coaching structures and what coaching we were providing throughout the whole club. We found that we needed to implement a new coaching policy that would (with the resources available to us) help us to improve the coaching and coaching delivery to players of all age groups to help our youth players develop to their full potential.
We also decided that to help deliver what was needed and to help us raise the profile of the club throughout the county, we should employ a full time club and community rugby coach in Dwain Brown. Although these changes have been very successful it is clear that it will take time to see the benefits and reap the rewards
Over the last few years we have actively encouraged the hosting of overseas players. We have always believed that good overseas players help the development of our own younger players by enabling them to see how players from other countries approach both the game and training differently, and to see different ideas as to how the game should be played. In addition last year we used these players to carry out several coaching clinics and position specific coaching sessions for the younger age groups. This worked well with all players benefitting and is something we intend to continue and develop further in future.
For the new season, with several of our previously hosted players returning home, we will again host overseas players. When considering overseas players we only invite those that play in positions where we do not have sufficient , or strong enough, cover or with our own home grown players, or where we have players that are not yet quite ready to play 1st XV rugby. Prior to considering overseas players we always actively look for and try hard to recruit local players. Unfortunately it is not easy to attract players as at our level many other clubs offer players inducements and rewards that we are not able to offer.
One of the reasons we are forced to recruit players is that many of our better home grown players are often persuaded, despite the advice, help and opportunities we are able to give them, that the level that we currently play at is not high enough for them to develop to their full potential as players. Hence they move on to, or are enticed away to, other higher level clubs, often with promises of future financial rewards, before, we believe, they are ready for this.
In order to try to address this the executive committee is now totally committed to financially supporting the senior squads in order to retain and attract players good enough to enable us to move up the leagues, our target being two leagues higher for the 1st team. We believe that further playing success, coupled with our fantastic facilities, will help to retain our youngsters, and enable us to provide the level of rugby, the coaching standards and other benefits, that at least match, and in many cases will be better, than they can get elsewhere in the region. If we can retain and develop more of our home grown talent the need for outside recruitment will be significantly reduced.
Therefore in 2010 we also intend to continue where we left off on coaching development. We now as you know have an excellent gym which gives our members the opportunity to condition themselves properly or simply just to keep fit. For 2010/2011 season we also intend to introduce a development XV that will provide colts and other younger players the opportunity of developing against tough opposition. In addition we intend to provide more players with the opportunity of more one on one coaching and we will have a fully qualified strength and conditioning coach available on a regular basis.
We have much more planned for the club and for player development whilst player welfare remains our main priority. Sadly however we can’t do everything at once because 90% of our volunteers have day jobs, but we intend to continue to improve on the pitch and off it.
If you are a player we hope you will aspire to greater things and put in the effort and commitment to improve your game. If you’re a manager or coach then we hope you will continue to help us improve and develop the club and its players. If you’re a social member we hope you will continue to enjoy the club’s fantastic facilities.
The future’s bright, the future’s Bury!
Kind regards
Mike Robinson, Playing Chairman
Terry Sands, Director of Rugby
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