Hoppers' Mini & Youth Rugby is seeking to fill this key role within its organisation, a volunteer with administrative qualities to assist with the Lightfoot Green club’s Sunday morning rugby operation. The key responsibilities of this vital and challenging position are summarised below:
- arranging fixtures with other clubs for the six 'Mini' & four 'Junior' sides from Under 7s to Under 16s, normally undertaken in December for the forthcoming season (commencing 1st September);
- liasing with opposition fixture secretaries to confirm arrangements early in the preceding week for both home and away matches prior to the Sunday fixture;
- communicating with age group coaches regarding any changes to fixtures or arrangements, i.e. those differing from the Youth Rugby Handbook and Hoppers' website;
- working closely with the Secretary to deal with relevant issues as they may arise;
- working closely with the Chairman of Grounds regarding pitch conditions in the event of poor weather;
- organising coach travel arrangements for away games where appropriate;
- arranging referees to cover the Junior sides' home matches (Under 13s to Under 16s);
- providing information to "Hoppers Hotline" and the webmaster;
- informing the catering manager of fixtures to ensure adequate catering is available for home fixtures;
- updating executive committee with any fixture related issues.
The Fixture Secretary may wish to have some input into both the Saturday afternoon First XV curtain raisers, and the organisation of the annual Minis’ Festival at Hoppers in April but they are not essential.
A previous Fixture Secretary considered the role to be:
". . . extremely rewarding. It can be time consuming and you may be contacted at the least expected and inconvenient times.
Preston Grasshoppers Mini Junior [now Mini & Youth] rugby is well known for its excellence, sportsmanship and friendly atmosphere throughout the country and the previous incumbents of this role have forged relationships between clubs old and new and this will continue through future fixture secretaries.
A sense of humour and the support of your partner at home is essential as, during the season, your telephone will ring more often than normal!"
The importance of this position to the 300+ players from Under 7s to Under 16s, boys and girls, cannot be understated, and every assistance will be offered to the volunteer appointed to fill the role. It is worth noting that:
- the Mini & Youth Fixtures for 2003/04 are well established, and no consideration needs to be given to next season until later in the year;
- the Mini Fixtures are normally 'block-booked' from Under 7s to Under 12s, as indeed are many of the Junior fixtures. Furthermore, age group fixtures are only arranged for about 15 Sundays in any 35 week season.
The Junior and Senior Colts fixtures, and the referees required to control their home matches, is not an integral part of the Mini & Youth Fixture Secretaries responsibilities.
As with all volunteers, the Fixture Secretary will be subject to the disclosure requirements of the club’s Child Protection policy.
Any parent or other interested volunteer should apply to the Secretary (01772 653282) or to any member of the Executive Committee.
Thursday, August 07, 2003
With the season almost upon us, this item is intended to answer a number of issues raised by new players, or potential new players.
WHERE & WHEN?
All training is based at the Club’s ground, Lightfoot Green (Off Lightfoot Lane, Fulwood, Preston) and by using the postcode PR4 0AP you should find a map on the internet using Multimap.com. (Try clicking on the postcode, but don't forget to use the browser button for a return to this page!)
Mini and Youth Rugby takes place on Sundays. The Under 7s to Under 16s train and play matches in the morning, the Colts (Under 17s to Under 19s) in the early afternoon. Player's age groups are determined by their age on 1st September 2003
Unless the group is playing away, for all training and club fixtures players should be at the club by 10.15am at the latest to enable a prompt start at 10.30am. The morning session normally closes about 12.15/12.30pm, often dependent on the weather.
The Junior and Senior Colts have different arrangements, with later kick off times, 12.30pm and 2.00pm respectively.
This season kicks off with two ‘Open Days’ on Sunday 24th and 31st August before the RFU’s official opening to the Mini and Youth season, Registration Day (7th September).
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
At Hoppers, we charge an annual fee plus a weekly subscription as and when players attend training or fixtures. The annual fee is payable on or before Registration Day; the weekly 'subs' should be given to the age group administrator in the clubhouse BEFORE training or matches start.
Following the recent Annual General Meeting, the amounts set for 2003/04 were as follows:
Registration Fee : Under 7s to Under 12s (Minis) - £10.00, Under 13s to Under 19s (Youth) - £15.00
Weekly Subs : £2.50 (everyone).
This income covers the purchase of kit and equipment, transport to games where multiple teams travel away, regular courses for coaches and others, medical requirements, entertaining our visting teams, upkeep of the grounds, general administration and various other matters. (A copy of the accounts is available on request.)
WHAT MUST I PROVIDE?
All new players must provide both a copy birth certificate and also two passport-style photographs.
These should accompany the forms that existing players complete, the Registration Form and the Medical Consent Form. New players (and those in the Under 13 age group) must also complete the RFU Young Player Registration Form.
WHAT KIT DO I NEED?
Initially, very little! A pair of football boots is OK, but they MUST be fitted with rugby union aluminium studs, a very important safety regulation.
A mouthguard is advised, most coaches would say a must. At Hoppers we have long believed that not bringing a mouthguard to training or matches means no contact rugby. Teeth are precious!
Our dentist is available for the first two or three weeks of the season should you wish to purchase a customised, ‘made-to-measure’ version but, especially for the younger player, many parents are happy to purchase the less expensive style from the local sport shop which players mould themselves.
White and navy blue hooped match shirts are provided, when necessary. The club has a standard colour for shorts and socks – navy blue. During the early weeks, especially in the Mini age groups, strong football shorts and shirts should suffice but navy club shorts, socks and our emerald green training shirt are all normally available in Hoppers Shop.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Anyone keen on, committed to, or just interested in rugby is welcome at Hoppers.
Our Mini (Under 7s to Under 12s) age groups welcome both boys and girls, whatever their background and or experience.
The Youth teams (Under 13s upwards) play as boys teams, and we are keen to encourage girls at both Under 14s and Under 16s level feeding into the Womens XV.
In addition, young people who would like help in any other capacity are welcome, and there are many tasks which, as volunteers, can assist in the success of the organisation.
HOW CAN I JOIN?
Players can join the Club at anytime, but this season Hoppers has introduced a policy to restrict the 'transfer' of younger players from other clubs in Lancashire after 1st October, except in exceptional circumstances.
A telephone call to the Club, or reference to the relevant week in this website, will establish whether or not an age group is at home that Sunday. If it is, come along and introduce yourself.
IS IT SAFE?
In October 2002, Hoppers was the first rugby union club in the country to receive the RFU’s Seal of Approval, and only the second sports organisation in England and Wales to gain Sport England’s ‘Clubmark’ certificate.
Both awards confirm that Hoppers is a ‘safe, efficient and child-friendly club’ with the comprehensive and appropriate coaching structure you would expect from one of the most vibrant and successful Mini and Youth set-ups in the country.
From coaching the basic principals, based on the RFU Continuum and the gradual introduction of new elements of the game at each age group, the emphasis of the 55-strong team of Coaches and Assistant Coaches is on safety.
With all but about half-a-dozen qualified to appropriate RFU standards, they take the players from 5-a-side TAG rugby in the Under 7s right through to highly competitive 15-a-side league fixtures at Under 19.
IS THE SET-UP SUCCESSFUL?
Yes! Fully supporting Lancashire's and other Regional squads, Hoppers players feature strongly in representative sides and reach International level.
Those England players quite likely to feature in Clive Woodward’s Rugby World Cup squad later this year may include Will Greenwood, Iain Balshaw, Alex Sanderson, Steve Borthwick and Paul Grayson, all of whom contributed to Mini, Junior or Colts rugby at Lightfoot Green.
Hoppers has been the most successful side in the Lancashire Cup over recent seasons, appearing in three Junior Cup and one Colts Cup finals in 2003 alone.
Is there anything else you would like to ask? Click here to contact the Secretary.
