Sport In Profile UK Issue 03 | Page 9

LYTCHETT MINSTER RFC [LYTCHETT MINSTER] [RFC] Lytchett Minster is based at Lytchett Park on Old Watery Lane in Dorset and their first team currently competes in the Dorset & Wilts 1 South League. They are led by the team of Chairman Tony Yelland and President Dean Mitchfield and have made a considerable amount of progress under their guidance. They have enjoyed a positive start to the current campaign, putting together a record of 4 wins, 1 draw and two defeats from their first 7 matches. This has left them sitting near the top of the table with 21 points on the board. This should provide them with the perfect platform to build as they look ahead to the rest of the season. So long as they are able to retain their current group of players they will have a good chance of a successful year. Lytchett Minster is not a club that focuses solely upon senior rugby however and they also have a number of youth sides in place. These teams look to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment. It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and it will be a major boost for the first team if they can rely on players stepping up. Coaching staff overseeing youth development are confident that they have a number of youngsters involved with the potential to do just that. In order to help these players make the sometimes difficult transition into the senior game they also have a 2nd team running. This allows them to hand out experience of adult level rugby to players who are not yet considered ready for first team action. Another benefit of having an additional side is that it allows the first team to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments then they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. Lytchett Minster have enjoyed plenty of success in recent times and this is a just reward for all the hard work that is put into the club. Hopefully they will be able to continue in the same manner for many years to come and Sport in Profile Magazine would like to wish them the best of luck. www.sportip.biz 9