Mill Hill
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The general mood is very upbeat , our two new coaches having given us a whole new sense of purpose and commitment . Those new players who join us tend to stay with us , even if it means for many working in and around London , a longer journey than is ideal – we are often a club of choice , not convenience .
The club future lies with the younger members who are stepping up and getting involved in running the club , perhaps now just realising that volunteering has its drawbacks but in the end is very rewarding . Our greatest playing challenge is sustainable growth and promotion . Our greatest operational challenge in the next five years is the club itself . We are negotiating a new grounds lease and want to renovate and refurbish the whole clubhouse which was built in the late 1950s . Hopefully the powers that be will recognise the value of volunteers and independent community sports clubs and give us a long lease and a reasonable rent .
It ’ s a tough call nowadays for smaller amateur clubs to keep going , especially in the lower leagues . Mill Hill is determined to play its part , in stabilising and hopefully arresting the decline in player numbers in the senior amateur game .
I joined in 1974 and fully enjoyed the heyday of rugby as a participant sport and the club as a social hub – including the singing and decidedly unhealthy bar games . We toured all over Europe including behind the Iron Curtain . As an old fart ‘ committee man ’ I could endlessly compare the past with the present – “ in my day --- ” but we can ’ t go back . The important thing is to empower the young members , promote the game in the modern amateur context and underpin it with the values , ethos , and , of course , traditions of the game . We have already started touring again , all of us in our chocolate and gold blazers … now for the singing !
Article provided by Club Secretary Tim Hurst
28 Issue 67