Local Club Rugby

[Kiwiwomble]

Thought i would start a new thread and see if anyone is involved in a local club, maybe chat about the things that go into these small volunteer driven organisations

Ive talked about it here and there i think but my history is;

Played colts (U20) when at Uni (1999) but couldn't balance uni, work and rugby.....had no involvement with a club until COVID hit, when we were locked for to the 5km bubbles i realised i only had a couple of mates within 5km and would be good to meet some more local people.

As soon as we opened up i went down to my closest club (shortly after my 40th birthday) thinking i might play a little social or even masters....i walk up to be met by a 6'8" 150kg Irishman named Ant.....almost walked right past him and run home if thats the size of guy id be playing against...but he was so friendly and welcoming i got stuck in, did a full preseason...even got flattered by the forwards coach that i might play some 2nd grade (in hindsight we were very short of numbers)

3 months later....15 awesome minutes into the first preseason game i rupture all three ligaments in my knee.....i come down a couple of weeks later on my crutches kind of just to tell people im fine....and they look at me kind of weird and effectively say...."you didnlt think you were out did you?.....you cant get out....we'll just find something else for you to do....you're our new 2md grade manager"

5 years later im the 1st grade manager with a premiership under our belt, i also now sit on the committee....and spend my time balancing everything that needs to be done around the club (with lots of other people)....with not neglective Mrs Womble who loves all the people at the club but couldnt care less about the actual rugby, she came down to watch once...but just did 5.5hr shift on the bbq

anyone else involved with a local club? i know i find it just so much more enjoyable than any of the professional rugby....the reffing and players aren't as good of course...but the personal connections far outweight those things

 

[Which Tyler]

I played school and uni, but had to give up in my last year there.
Took it up again 8 years ago, in my 40s - but playing non-contact (walking) rugby. Obviously, it's not the same as playing properly, but it means that I can actually "run" around on a pitch throwing a ball around and talking shit.
I'm tangentially involved in writing up the laws for walking rugby, and ref and organise some of our games; but I only get involved in "proper" rugby as a supporter - I avoid the admin side like the plague (we need a new phrase, as we've just seen how people approach a literal plague).

My club now runs T1 rugby as well, but A] it's on a Friday evening, 2 hours after I've finished work (so it's not on my doorstep, and I've generally got other things to do) B] the players are concerningly young, fit and agile (mostly the 16-20 year olds, and including the back 3 for the first XV) and C] I can't actually run properly, due to a similar knee injury to KW above which had ended my playing days half-a-season early

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I played school and uni, but had to give up in my last year there.
Took it up again 8 years ago, in my 40s - but playing non-contact (walking) rugby. Obviously, it's not the same as playing properly, but it means that I can actually "run" around on a pitch throwing a ball around and talking shit.
I'm tangentially involved in writing up the laws for walking rugby, and ref and organise some of our games; but I only get involved in "proper" rugby as a supporter - I avoid the admin side like the plague (we need a new phrase, as we've just seen how people approach a literal plague).

My club now runs T1 rugby as well, but A] it's on a Friday evening, 2 hours after I've finished work (so it's not on my doorstep, and I've generally got other things to do) B] the players are concerningly young, fit and agile (mostly the 16-20 year olds, and including the back 3 for the first XV) and C] I can't actually run properly, due to a similar knee injury to KW above which had ended my playing days half-a-season early

thats cool though, finding an aspect that you can enjoy and help with

im not a natural at admin but force myself to do it as as i see the benefit it provides to the club.

I know what you mean about the guys in their 20's, ive just had to carve out my niche, celebrate or commiserate in the changing rooms with the boys, collect the jerseys/water bother etc, back to the clubrooms for one or two (started getting mrs womble to come pick me up and come down for one) and then often head of and have dinner at home (sometimes if wet and cold just head straight off and not make it to the club rooms), i then get to look at the club whatsapp the next morning and see the carnage they got up too

the odd blow out as an exception, pre season pub crawl is fun as starts just after lunch

we're a weird club in that our club rooms are not next to our grounds and so very easy to loose people (or slip off yourself), but we're close to getting everything in place to build new changing rooms/club rooms next to our ground so an exciting time to be part of the club, fingers crossed for next year

 

[Which Tyler]

And as a mildly-ironic follow-up - tore my calf muscle yesterday playing walking rugby.
Never a good sign when it just goes ping - no-one else involved, wasn't even particularly accelerating

 

[Kiwiwomble]

And as a mildly-ironic follow-up - tore my calf muscle yesterday playing walking rugby.
Never a good sign when it just goes ping - no-one else involved, wasn't even particularly accelerating

i did my calf a few years ago playing 5 a side football, audible twang....actually spun around looking for the person that had shot me with a paint ball

 

[Which Tyler]

I play walking rugby - for those of us too knackered, or scared of contact to play properly.
One of our players told us today that he may be a summer-player only, as his knee starts hurting when the weather's bad.
He's 27
I'm the only other player who's less than double his age.
I'm 49.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I play walking rugby - for those of us too knackered, or scared of contact to play properly.
One of our players told us today that he may be a summer-player only, as his knee starts hurting when the weather's bad.
He's 27
I'm the only other player who's less than double his age.
I'm 49.

look...i respect it...everything hurts man

 

[dirty harry]

My history is a bit weird with rugby, played school, i always say it saved my teenage shitty chavvy life, but I left home (ish) at 17 and travelled non stop for about a decade, so my game time was limited to chucking a ball around on a beach or jungle, or jumping into the odd match as a ringer when I could.

I did play for a season in County Clare, then a season in Southampton, before going back to uni and making a run at pro rugby (not playing).

Spent a few seasons with a pro club academy while studying BSc, then got a Job at a private school as coordinator,, before moving to Scotland to work for the SRU. I played a few seasons of a decent standard there, below prem, before then coaching BUCS (Director of rugby at a university while studying MSc) level and Scottish prem / Academy, and Scottish women.

My involvement with the club i played for was limited, working in rugby is a 20 hour a day obsession, always something to do, or watch, or interact with.

When I returned to Wales after my daughter was born, my missus retired from international rugby (not a tier 1 nation lol) and I decided to jump in with a Welsh division 1 team, and head coached them for 2 seasons leading up to covid.

Sadly thats my only real experience of local club, and it was great for scratching a coaching itch, and for the missus to integrate not being british, and moving to Wales for the first time, but it became difficult. It was run poorly, they relied on me more and more for help through different ways, there was no real drive forward, and I kind of got obsessed with developing the club to challenge to get to Welsh prem, which meant outside of work nearly all my time was spent obsessing over EPDP's, Academy plans, networking, creating financial avenues, and just the usual club development stuff. It did put a strain on things at home. But was great fun.

Sadly COVID hit, and we moved away, so I havnt had the time or energy to get involved with anything last few years, I did have a sit down meeting (pint lll) with a DOR at a local division 2 team recently, who i worked with elsewhere, but ultimately I just cant bring myself to work in Welsh rugby. Its too incestuous, too backward. Its a shame, id love to maybe do a bit of part time coaching, maybe take on a Youth team, or even a lower division 1st team, and get the family back involved with the club side (you know what its like, instant community), but my personality wouldnt allow it. Im obsessed with work as it is, i volunteer with a few charities, and if i started to jump in within the season id be applying to the board, and trying to radically change the direction of the club, designing a full club overview etc...

I did play a bit of touch rugby at club level, but the atmosphere and culture were so radically different, and my archives couldn't handle the 5m rule.

Im considering walking rugby currently, I nearly went and joined a team last year, but my country club went all in with Padal, so I ended up in a team hahahahaha

 

[Kiwiwomble]

My history is a bit weird with rugby, played school, i always say it saved my teenage shitty chavvy life, but I left home (ish) at 17 and travelled non stop for about a decade, so my game time was limited to chucking a ball around on a beach or jungle, or jumping into the odd match as a ringer when I could.

I did play for a season in County Clare, then a season in Southampton, before going back to uni and making a run at pro rugby (not playing).

Spent a few seasons with a pro club academy while studying BSc, then got a Job at a private school as coordinator,, before moving to Scotland to work for the SRU. I played a few seasons of a decent standard there, below prem, before then coaching BUCS (Director of rugby at a university while studying MSc) level and Scottish prem / Academy, and Scottish women.

My involvement with the club i played for was limited, working in rugby is a 20 hour a day obsession, always something to do, or watch, or interact with.

When I returned to Wales after my daughter was born, my missus retired from international rugby (not a tier 1 nation lol) and I decided to jump in with a Welsh division 1 team, and head coached them for 2 seasons leading up to covid.

Sadly thats my only real experience of local club, and it was great for scratching a coaching itch, and for the missus to integrate not being british, and moving to Wales for the first time, but it became difficult. It was run poorly, they relied on me more and more for help through different ways, there was no real drive forward, and I kind of got obsessed with developing the club to challenge to get to Welsh prem, which meant outside of work nearly all my time was spent obsessing over EPDP's, Academy plans, networking, creating financial avenues, and just the usual club development stuff. It did put a strain on things at home. But was great fun.

Sadly COVID hit, and we moved away, so I havnt had the time or energy to get involved with anything last few years, I did have a sit down meeting (pint lll) with a DOR at a local division 2 team recently, who i worked with elsewhere, but ultimately I just cant bring myself to work in Welsh rugby. Its too incestuous, too backward. Its a shame, id love to maybe do a bit of part time coaching, maybe take on a Youth team, or even a lower division 1st team, and get the family back involved with the club side (you know what its like, instant community), but my personality wouldnt allow it. Im obsessed with work as it is, i volunteer with a few charities, and if i started to jump in within the season id be applying to the board, and trying to radically change the direction of the club, designing a full club overview etc...

I did play a bit of touch rugby at club level, but the atmosphere and culture were so radically different, and my archives couldn't handle the 5m rule.

Im considering walking rugby currently, I nearly went and joined a team last year, but my country club went all in with Padal, so I ended up in a team hahahahaha

thats quite the journey!

We had our semi final on the weekend, all senior grades made the semis and 4 out of 5 (1st, women, 2nd and 3rd) won and are going to the grand final next week....updates to come

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Ane we go back to back!!

x x 2