Sport In Profile UK Issue 02 | Page 55

“ “ We proudly fly the flag for Shetland, as the only Shetland sports team participating in a National League set-up. SHETLAND Ladies section and our entry into the National leagues is a source of pride.” Atmosphere “Everything is quite buoyant just now – we were promoted last season and finished comfortably in the middle of the league table, so the guys are looking to build on this in the coming campaign. The Junior section finished in a very healthy position before the summer break and we all hope it continues to grow and progress. The U18s entered the leagues last season and this year, the U16s and the U18s are both entered into league and cup competitions. The growth of the ladies team has added a new dimension to the feeling in the Club too, so all in all, things are on the up and up!” Community “We are an important part of the local area – it is a club for the community, I like to think of it as a club for all the family. We proudly fly the flag for Shetland, as the only Shetland sports team participating in a National League set-up. That is a constant source of pride for us all. Youth is the lifeblood of this Club. For years, the membership was steady but ageing. When we set up our youth programme with the help of Paul Woods, it took a few years to get really established, but is a major part of the Club now. The injection of youthful players coming up from the Junior section is what has allowed an Island system of 23000 plus population to have some success in the National leagues.” Ambitions “Our ambition is to consolidate our League status, winning promotion if possible. We also want to get junior teams well established and to develop women’s rugby even more to get funding in place to build our own clubhouse, securing the financial future for the Club.” www.sportip.co.uk 55