PENARTH
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promotion and hopefully a decent
cup run which with the incentive of
a Principality Stadium final would
be a huge achievement.
“Youth development is massive for
us, it’s the biggest source of players
for us with around 70% of the senior
squad having come through the
Youth side. University is a big issue
for us with most Youth players
choosing to go away to study but in
the last two or three years we have
been lucky to retain 3/4 lads each
season who either choose not to
pursue academia or stayed locally.
We have some serious talent in the
club with four youth team players
gaining
international
honours
(3 at U20’s and 1 at Wales 7’s).
“Integrating young players into
the senior game is something that
historically we haven’t been great
at but there has been a real push
this year to have joint social events
and really integrate the squads. This
has been much easier due to having
a number of very recently former
youth players in the 1st team squad
(include 3 former youth captains)
David Baker is celebrating 50
years in business this year with his
Estate Agency Company, David
Baker & Co. He told Rugby Club
Magazine, “I played my rugby at
Penarth’s rivals and neighbouring
club Old Penarthians when I started
playing as a 21-year-old in 1963,
mainly as a full back or winger.
I thoroughly enjoyed a three year
spell with the club until a dislocated
knee put an end to my playing career
and I had to hang my boots up.
Penarth had a great end to last season
and it is obvious the investment they
are making with young players is
paying off. My self and the staff at
David Baker & Co would like to wish
everyone at the club all the very best
for the forthcoming season!”
78 Issue 87
but I think it can be underestimated
how much you need to proactively
ensure that this is happening.
“We are also taking steps to integrate
with the mini and juniors, three of
the senior squad recently handed out
awards at the under 6 presentation
ceremony and whilst it may feel a
bit bizarre the kids absolutely loved
it and it just goes a way to building
the connection so that some of those
kids might grow up wanting to play
for the 1sts.
“We are absolutely a community
club both in terms of players who