Huddersfield Rugby Union Football Club

Mini/Junior Section

Newsletter June 2009

Welcome

Welcome to Huddersfield RUFC Mini Junior Newsletter. It is our intention to keep Mini Junior members informed about their Club through this publication produced through contributions from various officials, sections and other interested parties. It is hoped that through the newsletter we can improve communication between the Mini Junior Section (MJS) and get more people involved in the different activities of the section. Your contributions are all welcome – please send them to Heather Santar at heathersantar@talktalk.net , who will be the editor of the newsletter. Copies of the newsletter will be sent to all members with known email addresses, a copy will be published on the website, and limited printed copies will be made available at the club and in the catering cabin. If you wish, or do not wish to receive an electronic copy please let Heather know.

News

First Team

Our final league placing in League 3 North was 10th. A well deserved position which we would hope to improve on for next season, given our performances and increasing confidence in the division. Darlington and local rivals, Halifax, were relegated from League 3 North. Next season HRUFC becomes a member of the newly named Division 2 North, which will have 16 competing clubs, two more than this season.

Ground Developments

The 2008/09 season saw a great improvement in the condition of the fields thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Groundsman, John Lockwood and 200 tons of sand! Overall we actually had fewer sessions postponed than Kirklees, and it was only deep snow and frost that had the beating of us! However, it is clear that further work is required and proposals are now being put into action, thanks to a grant from Kirklees of £24,130, alongwith a £6,000 grant application to the RFU. This expenditure is in addition to the normal ground budget of £31,000. This money will be used to provide a new drainage system for the fields so hopefully even less sessions will be postponed next season allowing the club to sustain and improve its current level of development.

Kit

Samurai have now been chosen as HRUFC kit manufacturer and suppliers and we are in the process of reinstating a retail outlet within the club premises for kit sales.

Catering cabin

A new catering cabin has now been ordered with the help of The Leonard Cowburn Trust. The cabin is formed from two 20' containers, that are linked together to create a 20' x 16' unit. The completed unit is extremely secure so hopefully we will not be subject to the same level of theft as currently being experienced.

The cabin is to be delivered during the summer holidays so ground work is required in preparation for the installation of the cabin. In order to reduce costs, volunteers are needed to clear the site. If you can help please contact Bohdan at: bohdan.rts@talktalk.net . Some of the clearance work will be done during the Summer Camp so if you are joining the camp please bring your demolition gear! Obviously care is required during such an event so risk assessments are to be undertaken to protect all those involved.

RFU Raffle

This particular way of earning money for your team/age group is proving very profitable for those taking advantage, 90% of ticket receipts being kept by the team/age group. Unfortunately though, not one winning ticket was sold by the club! However we continued our trend of ever increasing ticket sales and as a club we came second in the country with receipts totalling £6,547, a record. Consequently we will receive two tickets to attend an England training camp.

Seal of Approval

HRUFC’s Seal of Approval has passed with flying colours and the new certificate has now been received.

The Rugby Football Union Community Rugby introduced the Mini and Youth Seal of Approval accreditation programme as a method of examining, maintaining, and improving the provision of rugby in the mini and youth section of a rugby club. Building upon current good practice, the accreditation aims to recognise the effort and achievement of those clubs that reach, maintain and improve on the required standard of a club committed to the provision of quality rugby union experiences for young players.

Community Rugby has worked with Sport England to integrate the Mini and Youth Seal of Approval accreditation with the Sport England Clubmark scheme to ensure that the safe, effective, child-friendly club standards are met. Any club awarded the Community Rugby Mini and Youth Seal of Approval will also have achieved Clubmark accreditation.

The Award is indicative of the quality of provision the club offers, and displays its commitment to the continued development of young rugby players. A big thank you, therefore, to all who contributed. The Rugby Football Union Community Rugby and Sport England certificates will be on display in the entrance to the club and we are now entitled to display the three logos.

Experimental Law Variation’s

The following ELV’s are to be adopted into Law:

Law   6 – Assistant Referees able to assist Referees in any way the Referee requires.

Law 19 – If a team puts the ball back in their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain in ground.

Law 19 – A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s goal line.

Law 19 – The receiver at the lineout must be two metres back away from the lineout.

Law 19 – The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the five metre line and touch line and must be two metres from the line of touch and at least two metres from the lineout.

Law 19 – Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.

Law 19 – The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted.

Law 20 – Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the Scrum.

Law 20 – Scrum half offside line at the Scrum.

Law 20 – The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch in goal except when the ball is grounded against the post.

So the world of rugby can rejoice! Many of those nasty, horrible ELVs are to be ditched. The good news for you forward-loving people, the maul is back! The collapsing of the maul is not going to be adopted. Moreover, we can all learn to count again; equal numbers in the line out are back! For more information on the laws of the game, see the following website:

http://www.irblaws.com/EN/

Up and coming events

AGM

The Mini Junior Section Annual General Meeting is to be held on Tuesday 9th June 2009 at 8pm at the club in the Presidents Bar, or Waterloo Suite depending on numbers. All members are invited to attend.

MJS meetings are held at the club on a monthly basis, usually the second Tuesday in the month. Every age group needs representation at the meeting both to give the views of the age group and to feedback information to parents and players. Unless your age group is represented, your team will be missing out on the decision making process and will have no influence on how the MJS is being run.

Huddersfield RUFC is your club so if you want to see any events added to our Social List or if you’d like to see things happen differently or simply if you have any ideas about fund raising etc., please contact one of the committee or why not come and join in. All MJS parents/guardians are welcome to attend these meetings. More information is available from Bohdan Santar, MJS Chairman, at: bohdan.rts@talktalk.net .

Car Boot Sales

The Car Boot Sales, which are operated at the club between May and August Bank Holidays, are proving popular this year for both buyers and sellers. The money raised from the sellers is kept by the section or team running the car boot sale. In an attempt to raise funds for the MJS, five Sundays have been given to five doubled age groups, where two age groups work together, and all fees collected are given to the MJS. If you would like to help at any of these sales please contact your age group manager who will be able to provide further information.

Summer Camp

This years Summer Camp is to be held over the weekend of 11/12 July 2009. Invites to the Camp are open to both players and non-players aged 12 years and under. Friends are also welcome, especially if they are potential future players who may be encouraged to join the club after experiencing this enjoyable fun weekend.

A Race Night is being organised for the evening, to help with fund raising and keep the adults out of mischief, and a disco is being arranged to provide a choice of entertainment.

For further information please contact Dave Beal: email - dave9beal@msn.com - or Tel. 07950 378 722

Centenary and 40th Celebrations

The decision as to which MJS age group will play in the opening Centenary and 40th Anniversary celebratory match, against Barnsley RUFC, has not yet been made, so watch this space! This is very much a celebratory event so please come along and support the club.

The events already proposed and/or organised are as follows, dates subject to fixtures:

Please note that sponsors are required for many of the events. If you are aware of anyone or any company that may be interested in sponsoring one or more of these events, please contact the Centenary Chairman and Club President, Mark Birch, Tel. 07946 847 644 or email  joannamark@btinternet.com .

Bowling Club

The Bowling Club is now fully active again, complete with bar of course. The Huddersfield Bowling Club is an associate club of HRUFC. The club runs both male and female sections and young players are particularly welcome. Experience is not essential and coaching is available. League matches are played Mondays to Thursdays and on Sunday the club is open to all. If you would like to know more please contact Tony Hirst, or John Lockwood for details. Alternatively, just pop into the Bowling Club any evening, except Wednesday, and members will be present to have a chat.

Tony Hirst: Tel. 01484 544017 - or John Lockwood: email - john.lockwood3@ntlworld.com - or Tel. 07734 440 536.

Volunteers, Volunteers, Volunteers

Huddersfield RUFC Mini Junior Rugby is continuing to go from strength to strength. The club and MJS is powered by volunteers and without them there would be no club. On the front line are the team coaches and managers and behind the scenes are volunteers undertaking the numerous tasks needed to keep a club like ours growing and developing. So, whether it is demolishing the catering cabins, clearing the undergrowth from around the fields at the beginning of the season, assisting to arrange social events, assisting with funding applications or writing letters for sponsorship, arranging a tour, the festival or presentation evening etc, it is the effort of you, our members, that ensures the success of your club! There are lots of opportunities to get involved in various projects and activities, which can be very rewarding. You do not have to commit to something week in week out to help the club. All help is warmly welcomed, please do not wait to be asked just speak to your team manager or any MJS committee member. We would like to hear from anyone with ideas and commitment.

Farewells

As many of you may be aware The Davies Family are leaving us for pastures new. Both Rosey and Hugh have been valuable volunteers at the club and they will be sadly missed, although we wish them well in their new life.

Unfortunately Rosey’s departure leaves the MJS without a Fixtures Secretary. This is an extremely important role within the section and a willing and committed volunteer is needed as soon as possible. If you feel you could fulfil this role or know of someone who fits the bill, then please contact Bohdan, email: bohdan.rts@talktalk.net , or your age group manager.

Just a Thought

The rugby player's greatest asset, apart from essential fitness of body, is a cool and calculating brain allied to confidence and courage.

Final Note

Finally, thank you for your support. Any help or suggestions, to improve the Mini Junior Section are always greatly appreciated.

Today’s news is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper! If you want to see information you want to keep, then please send in your team news, successes, and failings so that we can all share them.