Garioch Newsletter
Nov
Notice to all Members
NO CARS IN THE PARK!!
From the start of the year no cars, including the 2 Garioch Sponsored cars, are allowed inside Kellands Park. This reverts back to the conditions of the Lease from 20 years ago.
The Council will be locking the access gate and only those given a key for the lock will be allowed in to pickup and drop off equipment or consumables. According to sources at the Council, there will be pathway lighting installed if a grant application made by the Council is successful.
If the club does not conform to this directive and ensure that the gates are locked, when inside the park and after leaving the park, the Council will lock the gates and retain all keys. So let's get into the habit from now on, and leave all cars in the car-parks outside the grounds and encourage visitors to the club to do the same.
Minis, Micros
It's always a pleasure to go to the clubhouse on Saturday mornings, and see the youngsters getting the fundamentals of this great game instilled into their heads and hearts. Because lets face it, this not "just a game", it is a way of life and if it wasn't for the dedication of the Mini and Micro coaches, these fundamentals would be lost. I was recently impressed with the youngest squad, most who have only started their rugby this year. Already the noisiest, a squad of around 30 are being mentored by Bruce Callow, Paul & Tom Hardwick, Laird Parker as well as enthusiastic parents.
The P4/5 squad of around 24 players ,under the guidance of Lead Coach Peter Grant with Sandy Brown, Gareth Falls & Andy Watt are also coming on well and if we could get a few more Senior players to offer help with this section, there is no doubt these lads could do well in the Spring tournaments.
P6/7, again 24 in number, is a section under considerable strain. With Lead Coach, Ian McHardy having to work abroad for considerable periods of time and Tim Noble also on a shift pattern at work, this is another squad of youngsters that would benefit from coaching help from experienced players, past or present. Do offer to help out, it is surprising how quickly your involvement would boost both the players and the coaches.
If you feel you could give any of the Saturday morning sections your assistance, step forward and let us know, you might just be what's needed.
Garioch Youth
There are consistent numbers of S1/S2 players turning up for training in this section, however when it comes to match days the numbers aren't so hot. There is a conflict with other sports on Sunday mornings and Rugby isn't winning that conflict at the moment. This is a pity, because the lads have been brought on leaps and bounds by the coaches and not being able to see the fruits of their labour because of the other interests.
I watched some of a recent match against a well drilled, bigger side from Huntly. There were only 9 or 10 Garioch players, but in the true spirit of the game, Huntly arrived with plenty and the sides were evened out to allow a good, competitive match.
The combined squad of U15/U16 players, (with the majority being U15) is putting in impressive performances, against formidable opposition. They will no doubt reap the benefits of this standard of games, next season. The spirit is second to none, and the management team should take pride in what the boys have achieved so far this year. There are full numbers at training, week in week out and this shows up on match days, with bigger opposition being rucked off the park by our fellas. Keep it up guys.
Only recently, Garioch and Ellon have combined their forces to enable the U18's at both clubs to field a full side. It has been a struggle to get sufficient number to establish individual teams and this is the only way round this at this time. There are talented , capable players in the section and the club is keen to keep them playing.
The Ladies Section & Girls Section
Michelle Molyneux has combined training in these 2 Sections for the time being, owing to the small numbers and will be taking over as lead coach in November, when Chloe moves back to New Zealand.
Training continues on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm with the possibility of a further Sunday morning session being put into place depending on interest.
Seniors
Lack of personnel, through injury, family matters and holidays etc. has given the selection panel nightmares at times this season. You would have thought that after winning the league last season, there would be plenty of players around the camp to try to repeat the feats of the past. This has not been the case, indeed without the services of new blood, the 1st XV would be in dire straits. There have been 45 different players used in the 1st XV already this season, but when it comes to training and match-days, the availability seems to dwindle, drastically. It is time to reverse this if we are to progress to the play off stages later in the season.
Our club coaches, Thiu Barnard from Natal and Mitch Craig from Queensland are getting the best out of those around, but it should be stronger than it is. "Hats Off" to the guys who are playing and showing fantastic effort. A good club spirit is certainly evident and to be sitting 2nd in the League at this stage of the campaign is commendable. There will be a bit of a layoff during November with no League matches, so this will be a perfect opportunity to get the injured fit again, and set the sights for the rest of the season.
Schools Rugby Programme
There is an incredible amount of work being put into the schools coaching this year and it promises to be another successful year with a bigger and better buy-in from the local primary and secondary schools. This year we anticipate that around £38,000 will be invested in the schools and community. The Club supplies this service free of charge, out of it's funds, but obviously backed up by some considerable national body and corporate funding.
There are 4 coaches involved in the Community this year. As well as our RDO, Chris Lawson who works 5 days a week in the schools, we have our 2 senior coaches, Thiu and Mitch, each working 3 days per week. The positions are further supported by our new SVQ student, Andrew Morrison, a keen U18 player who is studying, coaching, organising and evaluating Rugby Union.
Free curriculum coaching is supplied to the Primary schools over the first two terms to the P4/5 age group.................they will then progress to their 3 network festivals (Inverurie, Kemnay, Meldrum) being held in the TRY rugby month in November. Over term 3, P6/7 will receive coaching with their network festivals at the end of the block of coaching.
After schools clubs are up and running, targeting 12 different schools over the 4 terms in each network.
In addition, all 3 academies in the area have agreed to specialise in contact rugby in curriculum time including Inverurie Academy which has not had any direct link with the club for the past few years. The S1/2 age group has been targeted over term 1 and the S3/4 age group in term 2. Kemnay Academy and Meldrum Academy have an established after-school club to which we supply coaches to deliver sessions. At present, we are working with the P.E. staff and Active Schools Co-ordinators to start an after-school club at Inverurie Academy in terms 3 & 4.
We are also looking for help from youth leaders to help run all these after schools clubs and are delivering youth coaching courses to pupils in curriculum time in all three schools.
Similar to the primary schools we will be holding the Garioch Schools Cup in TRY rugby month and hope to invite players from the tournament to join the club.
We also hope in the year to come that we can field a combined Garioch Schools team in the Brewin Dolphin Schools Cup which will enhance the level of rugby the players experience and help develop our youth system.
We are indebted to our sponsors for the schools coaching including MI Swaco, Sylvi Campbell, Baker Hughes, Bon Accord Landscapes, Ferguson Modular, Tawse Tyres, IKM Testing, and backed up by Alpha Plus and Northern Hotel. Our funding bodies include the SRU, Sportsmatch, Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeenshire Sports Council.
Finally, we must mention Lawrence of Kemnay which continues to provide 2 quality cars on a full time basis to get around the area plus is now providing a 3rd one to cover the extension to the coaching project.
Incidentally - if you wanted a couple of headline figures from last year?? We gave free terms of rugby to 2650 children in 20 Primary schools and 3 academies, held 4 Primary school festivals which were supported by around 1210 pupils, ran 6 sessions of Street Rugby and held 4 rugby camps in the holiday periods.
Sponsorships
Our sponsors are continuing to support the Club, although we have struggled to fit in Match Sponsors due to kick-off times, not having a drinks license and the October holidays, However, Smith bits, Titan Torque, Weatherford, Geo Myles and Oilstates are all involved again this season.
On the clothing front, Alpha Plus is once more buying new home and away first team shirts for this season, Weatherford continues on the Minis and Micros shirts, Odfjell on the S1 / S2 shirts, and Oilstates is purchasing the U16/U15 shirts. For the Midis, we have a new local sponsor in the shape of Craigdon for the youth's training suits.
The Christmas Raffle is once more being financed by Nautronix, Bill Christie and Booths for Better Service for the £1000 first prize, £250 second prize and 19" TV/DVD. (Incidentally - contact Pete Thomson for your tickets.)
