Rugby Club Issue 53 | Page 83

whitehead Youth “We have been building our youth rugby for many years now and are very proud of our former players who now play regional rugby in Wales and represent Wales U20s. A successful junior setup feeds a strong youth team, which in turn, can feed the senior team. We are getting better at providing player pathways and we are hopeful that this can continue over the next few years and we can fill the gaps that exist at the moment in our age group teams. We have doubled the number of junior players in the last three years and are working hard to provide opportunities for players to represent the club from five years of age all the way through to the senior team. We are very proud that we can now provide girls with a route from minis to juniors, to U15s and on to the women’s team. There is much more communication now between the junior and senior sections and that will hopefully make a difference for players who are making the transition.” Community We are very much a community club. Along with our sponsors and charity partner, we like to think that we are a very inclusi ve family club, providing the whole community with rugby opportunities as well as a vibrant calendar of social events. The junior section has been able to provide funding to assist low income families to help with the cost of equipment for their children, including waterproofs, gum shields, head guards, boots etc. We have a family spirit that encourages everyone to develop their skills and love of the game. Our social and off field development is as important as the on field work.” Challenges/Ambitions “Our biggest challenge is managing the growth we’ve experienced. In the next couple of years we will be fielding up to 14 teams so managing the match-day logistics and age group requirements will need the volunteer base to keep growing with us. We aim to continue what we do best - providing community rugby for everyone. We also want to continue to improve our already fantastic facilities at the club, grow our squads at all levels as well as increasing the number of people involved in running the club.” www.whiteheadrfc.co.uk - Twitter : @Edds_Offical www.sportip.biz 83