Bill Mclaren Comp Info

COMPETITION

90 years, 90 seconds...One amazing opportunity.

Think you & your friends have got what it takes to be a commentator?

The Bill McLaren Foundation, in conjunction with Scottish Rugby, have joined forces to offer all schools and clubs the chance to win!

Bill McLaren would have turned 90 on October 16th 2013. To mark the occasion, we are asking all clubs and schools to submit a 90 second video & commentary of your favourite activity. This doesn’t have to be rugby - Bill taught lots of other activities from athletics to country dancing and many in between!

We’re splitting the competition in two - primary and secondary age groups and have some great prizes up for grabs...

The Prize - The top 10 schools / clubs (5 from both primary and secondary age groups) will receive a £500 cash prize plus some special behind the scenes prizes involving Scottish teams. You will also be invited to Murrayfield to commentate on 90 seconds of Grand Slam footage... With the two winning teams being invited to broadcast in May.

The judges will include Bill’s daughter Linda Lawson, Scottish rugby legend Chris Paterson, respected radio rugby commentator Bill Johnstone, Scottish Rugby’s Dominic McKay and a representative from the BBC.

Updates including helpful hints and top tips will be posted on www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk/90 so make sure you continue to check back for the latest news! 90 years, 90 seconds, an amazing opportunity... www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk/90 © All Rights Reserved The Bill McLaren Foundation 2013 YOUR ENTRY

90 years, 90 seconds...One amazing opportunity.

We’re looking to see...

1) Preparation

Preparation was key with Bill - we’re looking for a one page overview of what preparation, research production planning, practice at commentary went in to the clip. You could even produce your own version of one of Bill’s Big Sheets!

2) Team

Who was involved, why they wanted to be involved and the roles each member of the team played in producing the clip.

3) Clip & commentary

We’re looking to be entertained! From dance to netball and archery to rugby we welcome your creativity! The commentary will play just as important a role as the video itself. We encourage you to do a few ‘practice’ clips before your final submission - not only will they help you hone your skills but it should be fun too! In conjunction with Scottish Rugby we will also be supplying you with some helpful hints and updates during the project.

4) Another chance to win!

In addition to the ten prizes, the Foundation are also offering two more! We’re encouraging every school and club to hold a fundraising event in aid of a worthwhile cause that you choose but hold it in Bill McLaren’s name. As part of your submission we would like you to make mention of your fundraiser and we’ll give £500 for the two most creative events that are held!

Thank you for your interest in taking part in 90 Years, 90 Seconds, An Amazing Opportunity! This document is to give you some background information and to ask you to agree to the terms and conditions of participation.

We need one person to be responsible for the project from every organisation taking part, whether that be a teacher or coach.

This person needs to sign the form and return it to us as soon as possible, please email it through to [email protected] or send to The Bill McLaren Foundation, Heart of Hawick, Hawick, TD9 0AE.

Organisation

Organisation address

Responsible contact

Position

Phone

I agree that my school / club / organisation can take part in 90 Years, 90 Seconds, An Amazing Opportunity and that we abide by the terms and conditions. I agree that pupils / club members of my school / club / organisation can take part in 90 Years, 90 Seconds, An Amazing Opportunity. I confirm that I have authority to enter into this agreement on behalf of the above named school / club / organisation. I also confirm that I have and will retain the necessary parental consent on file. I confirm the Bill McLaren Foundation and Scottish Rugby are entitled to copy and use the materials I submit on any media platform Signature

Date

We’re keeping this as simple as possible but we have to have a few T&C’s!

Organisations We can only accept submissions from a school or a registered club or other organisation. Sorry, but we are unable to accept submissions from individuals.

Parental Consent You must be able to produce a parental consent form for each participant under 18 in your clips. We can provide a form for this, we do not need copies but you must have these on file.

Health & Safety You must ensure that all Health & Safety procedures are in place and adhered to including any Risk Assessments. Neither the Bill McLaren Foundation nor Scottish Rugby are responsible for these.

Submission We request that entries are submitted using a USB stick, which we will be supplying to applicants. We are also able to receive electronic submissions if preferred but please get in contact with us to find out how to submit your clips electronically. Incomplete applications may be rejected.

Geographic Area We will predominantly be promoting this competition in Scotland but we will accept all UK and international entries. Please note the prize is as offered and we are unable to contribute towards any transport costs.

Prize The prize is as offered and there is no alternative cash prize. There is no purchase necessary.

Multiple entries We welcome multiple entries from organisations but please ensure that they are from different teams or groups.

Entry Deadline Entries must be received by 5pm on 31st March 2014.

Winners Notification The winner will be determined by a panel of judges appointed by the Bill McLaren Foundation. Their decision will be final . The winner will be notified by Friday 11th April 2014. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified and we are not able to return unsuccessful submissions.

Copyright Copyright of the materials generated by your organisation remains your intellectual property. By entering the competition, you grant the Bill McLaren Foundation and Scottish Rugby permission to copy these materials and use them on all media platforms.

Promoters This competition is being run by the Bill McLaren Foundation, charity number SC041238 with the support of Scottish Rugby.

A little more about Bill McLaren and his work ethic plus some pointers about how he prepared for his commentaries which might help with your project...

Bill McLaren, The Voice of Rugby as he for that week or the first ever Rugby World became known commentated with the Cup Final in 1987 between the All Blacks and BBC for five decades on rugby football and France. Bill’s preparation started with a blank brought his love of the game to countless template sheet and he would then handwrite living rooms throughout the rugby world. He in coloured inks new information on players, coaches, referees etc and copy and paste names had a wonderful voice deep in tone and a and details from previous games if necessary remarkable turn of phrase that captured the while continually updating his records. He cut moment and also entertained the listener. and pasted using cellotape well before the computer era! Bill was the “go to oracle” who Bill was fastidious about his preparation for always had that bit of special information that all games he covered as a broadcaster and it no one else knew. Being the person he was he wouldn’t matter if it was a local club match would freely share these nuggets of information. covered nationally as part of the rugby roundup

90 years, 90 seconds, an amazing opportunity... www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk/90 © All Rights Reserved The Bill McLaren Foundation 2013 He spent approximately forty hours preparing Bill also commentated on many great games for each match and his homework would including 2 Scottish Grand Slams and a real include visiting both teams in training and in highlight moment was when Tony Stanger, a his preparation of his commentary notes now pupil of Bill’s from Hawick, scored the winning lovingly called Bill’s Big Sheet. Bill used cellotape try in 1990. extensively and the yellow colouring on his sheets highlights the amount of changes he Players and supporters throughout the brought from previous notes. His use of colour rugby world preferred to have Bill as the also developed over the commentator as he years and the finished clearly loved the article is now truly a His phrases were expressive and game, was impartial, work of art not only in often funny - here are just a few... was knowledgeable colour sense but also and could explain the encapsulating up to 1000 “They’ll be dancing in the streets technical aspects of the facts about the players, of Langholm tonight” game in an interesting officials and others who Referring to the town where the try scorer and light hearted way contributed to the event. came from and he introduced The sheets contain his humour which just intros to both teams “as slippery as a baggie up a added to the enjoyment as part of the lead in border burn” of the occasion for to the match broadcast Referring to Bryan Redpath the Scottish everyone. and also pre –prepared half back comments on the three After a game Bill was potential outcomes to “Rather feed him for a week than rarely 100% pleased the match (win, lose and a fortnight” with his work and draw). Iain Milne (great giant prop) would analyse where he went wrong and Bill was a man of habit “As cunning as a bag of weasels” work even harder the and after an early supper Roy Laidlaw and his ability to dart through next time to rectify. He he would spend the organised defences was a perfectionist and evening before a game recognised that it was mixing a pack of 15 “A face that only a mother could only through hard work amended playing cards love” and the desire and drive and turning them over to continuously improve Referring to one of Scotland’s and linking the number that would keep him battered props to each player’s name at the forefront of the until after an hour or so broadcasting elite. To he could whistle through “all arms and legs like a mad be at the top of his the pack. Identification octopus” game for 50 years was a was hugely important Referring to Geoghan Irish wing remarkable achievement. to him and his ability in the heat of the moment He had a proven way to pick out players from of working and he both sides was quite outstanding. stuck to his preparatory regime throughout his working life without fail – the mark of a true Bill covered the first World Cup tournament professional. in 1987 that was played in Australia and New Zealand. This sheet has some of the greatest Bill left a legacy of over 700 Big Sheets in players from both countries locking horns and differing stages of completeness as well as notes the score flattered New Zealand who went on and clippings from 50 years of broadcasting. to beat France in the Final.

90 years, 90 seconds, an amazing opportunity... www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk/90 © All Rights Reserved The Bill McLaren Foundation 2013 We hope that everyone who competes in this competition will learn a little about Bill McLaren and the values and life skills that meant so much For more information, please contact Lindsay Lawson 07812 125 001 / [email protected] to him as a teacher. What it means to be in a team and the special bond that team mates form in playing together. Bill recognised that it was only through hard work and effort that he would succeed.

He used to use a stopwatch to practice his rugby roundups on the radio on a Saturday evening. He would be initially allocated 3 minutes and he therefore had to get through the key results and match summaries exactly to the second. Virtually every Saturday his allocated 3 minutes would be cut as the programme overran and Bill would improvise quickly and he’d do it brilliantly.

It was only when others stepped in to cover for Bill that the listener realised how accomplished Bill was – a real pro! We hope this background piece helps you with your preparation and planning – we wish you the very best of luck!

The Bill McLaren Foundation was established in March 2010 with three objectives:

• To develop and promote rugby union and its values throughout the rugby world • To encourage and provide sporting opportunities for young people • To create an educative centre including the Bill McLaren archive Since 2010 we’re proud to have donated £250,000 to good causes - much of this to grassroots rugby.

If you would like to know more please visit our website at www.billmclarenfoundation.co.uk.

Why not encourage your school or your rugby or sports club to get involved with us?

We’re particularly committed to helping young people develop life skills through rugby something about which Bill was very passionate.

The Bill McLaren Foundation is kindly sponsored by: