What Rugby means to me

I love Rugby for what it can bring to people both on and off the pitch, and it is so much more than the sport. Rugby is about inclusivity, community, friendships, camaraderie and I can speak personally about how great Old Pats has been for me to meet people and make friends having only recently moved to the area.

Rugby is also great for building character, and as much as we are coaching rugby skills, we are also teaching our players the values of the sport, and how to be the best they can be. Integrity, honesty, resilience, trust, respect are all things that rugby players will learn which will set them up well for life.

Focus areas

The club is in a strong position in terms of players and coaches, as well as financially and structurally. I know there are some things we can improve and I am very happy to hear any feedback or ideas in terms of how we can better serve our members and community.

We will all work hard and do the best we can, and there are three main focus areas over the next few seasons and beyond:

1. Player retention

We want our junior players to have the best possible experience and to stay with us through to the seniors. This is about enjoyment first and foremost, inclusivity so that all players have opportunities to develop, high-quality coaching and so on, and there are already many great initiatives in place and others that we can introduce.

2. Attracting new players

I believe there is more we can do to encourage new players to give rugby a try, by offering the best experience so that our players invite their friends to join, and by engaging more closely with local schools. This will also include the ongoing development of the girls and ladies sections at the club. All players are welcome at Old Pats, regardless of experience and ability, so please do help to spread the word.

3. Community

A huge part of Rugby is about community, which is a wide-reaching term. This includes ensuring that our players feel a sense of belonging to the club, and that Everest Road feels like home to all of our members – and there are exciting developments on improving the facilities over the coming years, news of which will follow soon.

Community is also about social events, such as the end-of-year Ball, mid-season events, age group touring, and other things we can do to bring people together.

And there are many more aspects in terms of how we can all help each other in this community – from volunteering to help cook some sausages, to providing work experience opportunities to the older juniors, to offering your business expertise to the club, to funding some kit or coach development initiatives, or whatever it is. Everyone has something to offer.

And all that brings me back to why Rugby is so great. It means always having someone with you, next to you, behind you, supporting you, and we are all part of the same club.

I look forward to meeting everyone, and if you have anything at all you’d like to discuss with me, please do get in touch with me – hutch@oldpats.co.uk.

Regards,

Hutch

James Hutchison – Junior Chairman