Rugby Club ISSUE 87 | Page 67

Swanage and Wareham squad. Like many clubs at times we do struggle to field a Colts side due to lack of numbers but we strive to field a team each season, as they will be the future Senior players. We try to involve the youngsters as much as we can in the club, the Colts train on the same night as the Seniors and often do the same warm up and drills as far is allowed. They then break off for specific Colts based training. Also, as and when they are allowed, we try to get them some game time in the 2nd or 3rd XV to slowly introduce them to Senior Rugby. This only occurs when the player is ready for Senior rugby.” Challenges “Probably the biggest challenge the club faces going forward is the change in the demographics of the area. Being on the South coast the area is becoming more and more a ‘retirement’ area. So it is harder to find young families who could supply players to both the M&Y game but also the adult game. We also suffer with the young going off to University and then they don’t come back to the area since there is not the work around. Link that with high property prices and it is going to be a continued battle to make sure we have good numbers across the whole club.” Ambitions “As a club we wish to continue to provide rugby to those who want to play, be they age 6 or 66. We focus on being a family club, welcoming everyone. We would like to get back to playing regularly at level 6 but that is a few years away and will need an influx of numbers and younger players. Dave Nolan has had a long and positive association with Swanage and Wareham Rugby Club. He recently told Rugby Club Magazine, “I started off in the club’s mini section as a nine-year-old and continued playing all the way through colts/senior rugby whilst picking up the customary injuries on my way to the vets. “My main playing position was usually 2nd row but you could also see me in one of the back-row positions on occasion too. These days I support the club with sponsorship for our senior teams and my own company Datec Communications, which will have been in business thirty years in 2020, are very proud of our association with this great club. “We are a fairly small geographical located town that really does well in serving the people and families of our local community whether you’re part of our mini/junior rugby section, ladies and girls rugby, colts, senior sides or social member. As a club we value our amateur status and I feel this very much epitomises our values and inclusiveness where we always aim to make you feel welcome. “I would say that most visitors to Swanage and Wareham Rugby Club find the experience a very pleasant one and I would like to encourage everyone associated with the club to keep up their support in each other and believing we can continue to improve throughout the 2019/2020 campaign!” In the meantime as a club we want everyone to enjoy their rugby and use the core values of the game to support what they do at school and work. We have invested quite a bit in recent years on maintaining the infrastructure of the club - maintaining the pitches, updating lighting and floodlights to reduce our energy footprint, replacing windows and doors when needed, all to make the club a welcoming club.” Telecommunications, Computer Network Cabling and Telephony Systems Company near Poole, Dorset • Cost saving Business telecoms • Network services • Voice and data solutions • Cloud based and traditional Telephone systems always available. Contact us today [email protected] Or call 01202628111 www.rugbyclubmag.com 67