MJN (MiniJuniorNews)
October 2009
(Competition dates for your diaries below)
Oktoberfest - the Mini Rugby Festival
Players from eight other Oxfordshire rugby clubs joined us on Sunday 4th October in our annual Mini Festival.
Weather-wise this year the Gods were kind to us and a great time was had by the 800+ children taking part.
The work carried out by our own coaches and their band of volunteers helping with recording, food, raffle tickets and programme selling was of the highest order. Almost every Board member was on hand in support of the youngsters in some capacity and our senior players helped to ensure that the parking of cars gave no cause for complaint. Satnav was the culprit for some visitors parking away from the designated areas.
Our thanks to all of these helpers and also to the visiting players, coaches and supporters who contributed to this.
To see photographs supplied by DE Photo go to Minis on the Home page Menu and click on appropriate age group. To see more go to the DEPhoto web site.
When did you last thank your coach?
Every Sunday throughout the season, come rain or shine, your coaches are there to help you develop skills to play teams at home and away so they deserve your thanks. If you are hurt they will look after you.
A quiet word of thanks would be well appreciated.
Do you know this man? Is case you don't he is Dave Jones, a Welshman who for some 16+ years has been the Youth Chairman. Together with all of the mini and junior coaches and helpers he works like a Trojan to ensure that pitches are ready, equipment is to hand and food is on offer in co-operation with Christine Barguss and Phil Connolly..
Do you know this lady? Christine Barguss has been serving food for years to hungry rugby players. On a Sunday too. And she's our very first lady Honorary Life Member.
Enjoy your rugby and watch this space!
He organises the Mini Festival each year as well.
Dave has recently been awarded his County colours in recognition of his efforts.
But as you all know there are many others like him. We always need volunteers.
How about asking your Mums and Dads if they can help. Tell them that all of our coaches are CRB cleared.
Club kit
Some club kit is available in the clubhouse but we desperately need someone to sell it on a Sunday morning before we expand our stock of socks, tops, ties etc. We need to expand our list of volunteers otherwise jobs such as this fall to the willing few who already have plenty to do looking after the children. The shop does not have to be staffed by just one person - a small group of friends on a rota basis would be brilliant.
Can you help?
At Grove RFC we consider Child Protection to be of vital importance. To this end we ensure that all of our Mini/Junior coaches hold the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) Enhanced Certificate - similar to that held by teachers. At the present time we have over 70 holders of this certificate
We also try to ensure that as many of our coaches as possible hold a coaching qualification, an element of which covers safeguarding the interests, safety and wellbeing of your children while imparting the skills of rugby..
If anyone has any concerns about our practices they should raise them with the Youth Chairman, Dave Jones, or the Child Protection Officer, Earl 'Duke' Ashford in the first instance.
We want all of your children to enjoy this wonderful game of rugby, to learn that winning is not all and to learn to lose graciously.
Parents also have their part to play in all this by supporting our work and helping us to uphold these ideals as coaches, helpers or spectators.
Get involved. You will be made very welcome.
For more information go to www.rfu.com-Community Rugby-Schools and Youth/Child Welfare/Policy & Policy Guidelines.
Grove RFC is bound by the ideals expressed in these documents together with all of the other documents listed under the Welfare section.
Competitions
Tag Section - Sunday 18th April 2010 - Chipping Norton RFC
Mini/Midi Section - Sunday 25th April 2010 - Henley RFC
Junior U13 15-a-side Festival - Sunday 4th October 2009 - Banbury RFC
Junior Cup Finals Day - Sunday 28th March 2010 - Chipping Norton RFC
Junior 10s U13s & U14s - Sunday 18th April 2010 - Wallingford RFC