TOUCHLINE The MaidstoneRugby Newsletter - End of Season 2011-12 Chairman’s End of Season Report In my last report I said I believed that this Whole Club Seal of Approval note anyone who does not set-up payment, season would be a renaissance period for or has not paid by the date specified, will Off the field, we are only the 8th club in the club following some particularly hard be excluded from selection and/or will the South East to have achieved the highly times both on and off the field. In many ways not be able to access the facilities and prestigious ‘Whole Club Seal of Approval’ this prediction has come true. Any club’s services that membership provides. award. This accolade recognises the club’s success has to be built on a solid foundation effort and commitment to provide all of commitment, self-belief and hard work. members with a safe, well organised and Community Contact Coupling this with the continued dedication enjoyable environment in which to learn and and efforts of club officers, coaches, support We also continue to develop our play rugby. In achieving this, I would formally staff and volunteers puts us in a strong community links with a number of school like to thank Wendy Pound, whose hard work position to achieve even more next season. Outreach Coaching Initiatives and have and dedication were significant factors. now formalised links with the New Line Resurgence Learning Academy to provide coaching DD Day looms support and to develop an ‘academy’ From a playing perspective, we have won At the end of last season, we also introduced to feed players into the senior club. more rugby games at 1st XV level than a Direct Debit System (Capital First) to enable We now hope to replicate this model for some considerable time. We finished us to streamline our payment procedure and with other schools to help provide a a credible 4th in our league (rueing what make it more effective. Subscriptions are our sustainable pipeline of future players. might have been had we won our first three financial life-blood, and cover a multitude games) and narrowly lost a national Senior of costs to provide the environment we Vase semi-final to the eventual winners.A Youth Rugby have all come to expect. This includes good deal of the credit for this resurgence is facilities, training, ground maintenance, and We have recently appointed Ian Wilkinson due to Director of Rugby and Head Coach, physiotherapy support to name but a few. as the new Chair and he has already made Andy Foley. Andy has worked tirelessly Our old Standing Order system made it very an impact as he builds on the work of former to recruit new players, develop ‘up and difficult to track and monitor payments and Chair Sean McGuire. I would also like thank coming’ young players, whilst recognising we estimate that (for whatever reason) we the efforts of Des Diamond, Club Coaching that there is ‘no substitute for experience’ have lost up to a third of our income by the Co-ordinator and wish him well in his new by utilising the skills of older players, who still non-payment of subscriptions. This equates role as President of Blackheath. Also, special have the ability to play at this level. The result to thousands of pounds; particularly galling thanks to Charlotte Walker, our tireless is that the 1st XV are once again a force to when, for a good deal of the time, running Welfare Safeguarding Officer for making sure be reckoned with while the Mustangs and the Club is a hand to mouth existence. Some that all our coaches are registered. Thanks 3rd XV are creating the right environment to of you have already transferred to the new also go to our army of dedicated youth develop players for 1st XV rugby. In addition, system and we expect that by the beginning coaches, who turn up each week, come we remain one of a very small number of of the season, all (both playing and non- rain or shine, to pass on their knowledge and clubs who regularly field five sides and our playing, who have a bank account) will wisdom to their charges. In particular, special Veterans side remain the back-bone of the have done so. Full details will be provided mention goes to Alan Crosbie outgoing club in terms of their patronage and unerring shortly regarding when and how this will be Junior Fixtures Secretary and ofttimes ‘de passion for the game, an example to us all. facilitated – so watch this space. Please facto’ Chair for his stalwart contribution. Chairman’s End of Season Report [ [ Suffice to say thatthe youth section contribution. Bob Beney, our President has So onwards and upwards and are the future of the club and nothing also put in a huge amount of time and effort here’s to continued success in gives me greater pleasure on a Sunday ‘behind the scenes’ as well as being the the forthcoming season. morning than seeing a sea of youngsters club schmoozer, raconteur and figurehead. playing the game that we all love. Lastly, I would like to say a huge thank you I am also eternally grateful to our army of for the continued support of the officers, our Committee Matters volunteers, who do so much of the often sponsors, spectators and players who, as a unseen work that keeps the club running whole, make Maidstone Rugby Club such a The club committee continues to grow so efficiently. This includes those that special place to play or be involved with. and we have now welcomed Ben Court give their time free to help improve the as Treasurer, who takes over from Dave physical infrastructure of the club, those And just to concentrate all our thoughts in Coleman. Duncan McClintock and Mike who sell programmes, run raffles, provide readiness for next season, I will leave you Laurenson, take up respective roles as catering and keep the score board ticking with the following quote to ponder: AG joint online and membership secretaries to over on match days – you know who replace the hitherto role of Alan Hayward. “If everyone is moving forward together, then you are, so take a well-deserved bow. success takes care of itself.” (Henry Ford) Shaun Neaves As new blood comes in, we also say goodbye (but hopefully not farewell) to the old as the end of this season marks the departure of Shaun Neaves, who has taken up a 1st XV Coaching position at near neighbours, Aylesford. They complement the excellent work Many of you will know Shaun but you may carried out by existing officers. In particular, not be aware that he has been involved I would like to thank my Deputy Chair, Bob with the club as player, administrator and Hayton for his relentless work in gaining coach for over 30 years. He is a larger much needed sponsorship (amongst a than life character in the true sense of huge amount of other things) to enable a the word and whilst he will be missed, we club of our size to continue to develop and wish him every success in his new role. provide the things that many of us take for granted. I was also particularly pleased to On behalf of the club would I like see Carol McKenzie get the recognition to thank him sincerely for all his she deserves when she won the Bernard dedicated years of service. Hinks award for most significant non-playing The President’s Page I can echo everything our Chairman Andy the former scheduled to be completed Golding has said. He sums up the season so in the coming months. Just have a look well. It is a pleasure and honour to be part of next time you are in, You will be pleasantly Maidstone. Of course, what he omitted to surprised. Improvements to the building say, and I have great pleasure in doing so, is will continue during the coming months. that so many of these achievements would not have been possible without his personal Serves You Right... input. He has organised and run the club so I particularly want to mention Carol and well, introduced new faces and, with Wendy Marilyn for their sterling efforts in keeping Pound, achieved the Whole Club Seal of everyone fed and watered, often in Approval to mention but a few successes. difficult and testing circumstances. They do a wonderful job and we are very Working Together grateful. Just thank them when you can. I am very happy to report our continued The old stand showing the ravages of time and mindless vandalism. ‘working together’ with Mote Cricket Club. Another Lick of Paint... Our members have so much in common, especially the desire to see our facilities Outside, you will probably have seen by now improve to back up the wonderful playing that the ‘old stand’ has disappeared. I am surfaces we both possess. New, improved looking into obtaining a new one and would facilities will happen eventually but it will dearly like to get it in for the forthcoming take time and, meanwhile, the ‘show’ season. This would enhance the whole must go on. More about that elsewhere. playing area as well as giving much needed shelter for spectators as well as our young ones on Sundays during inclement weather. A Lick of Paint and... I have several possible funding sources We now have a newly painted clubhouse. but nothing is guaranteed. The cost of a It started with Francis Talbot decorating portable stand is in region of £10,000 plus.