Blackwood S ta rs
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2015 / 16
“ We started slowly last season but finished very strongly , ending up just below mid table which was an improvement from the previous season . We were also in the final of the local Ben Francis Bowl losing in the last minute to Abergavenny who play in the league above us . We had a very successful end of season tour to Krakow Poland and played a top Polish side called Juvenia and considering the amount of socialising they did prior to the game the players put in a credible performance . We had a very good welcome form Juvenia , they laid on a BBQ and local Polish ale for 56 players and members that went on tour .”
Youth
“ Youth rugby is very important to the club because we need a steady flow of young players to take over from the senior players who decide to retire . However the club does not run a youth side ; we play out of Blackwood RFCs club who play in a much higher league . They allow us to use their club house and we have a good working relationship with them .
Blackwood RFC has a very successful junior section and the majority of their youth players join Blackwood Stars RFC to further develop and mature before they start their senior career with Blackwood RFC . Some do not end up playing for Blackwood RFC for a variety of reasons and play their entire career at Blackwood Stars . Those that do play for Blackwood invariably end their careers back at the Stars .”
Integration
“ The youth players will start senior rugby by taking part in the senior ’ s preseason training with Blackwood RFC who will identify the players that in their opinion do not need further development and are ready to start playing a high standard of rugby .
Blackwood RFC will then advise us of the players who require further development and our coach will monitor their performance in training before they are selected to play their first senior game .”
Community
“ All our players live within the local community and all the committee are explayers . We have a subsidised end of tour every year and the majority of players and members try to make this trip .
It is compulsory that we play a game of rugby on tour where we meet new friends and young players sample new cultures . In the last 2 seasons we have been on overseas tours to Prague and Krakow .
We arrange a number of functions throughout the year where player ’ s girlfriends and wives attend . There is also a family atmosphere on the touch line during the game and afterwards in the club house . A number of our members have been with the club for over 50 years .”
Challenges
“ One of our biggest challenges is player retention because without players there will be no club . Player participation is decreasing for a number of reasons while competition for players is increasing and I envisage over the next couple of season a number of clubs will fold .
Another is finance . It is getting more expensive to run a club and in the current climate that we see ourselves in ; Councils are increasing their fees for the use of training facilities pitches etc . and sponsors are tightening their belts and not as forthcoming with sponsorship money .”
Ambitions
“ We were promoted into the SWALEC League 3A East two seasons ago and our aim was to stabilise the club within this league which we have done . We now want to grow stronger and more competitive within the league with the aim of gaining promotion into SWALEC league 2 East by our centenary year in 2020 .
As we become successful on the pitch we also want to improve the community feel of the club which is just as important otherwise people will not make the effort to support the team on and off the field . It is vital that we continue to promote the ethos of the Stars throughout social media as we now live in a digitalised world and through a push of a button you can reach 100s of people .”
50 Issue 64