Club Development Plans
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Following the New Year message from the Executive printed below, plans for the Club Development were put on display in the clubhouse ahead of the 300 Club draw. They have now been on display for a couple of weeks and they will stay out for you all to see. We shall be holding a couple of meetings in the Club House in February to discuss the club plans and the way forward. |
We have put the plans out to make as many people as possible aware of them so that the discussion can be as wide-ranging and as well-informed as possible. We are happy to hear any views at any time - phone, email or collar any of us. For those of you who live away from Linlithgow, you can access the presentation using the link below.
Click here to access the club development presentation.
New Year's Message
The start of a New Year provides a chance to reflect as well as to look forward.
Linlithgow RFC Has entered 2010 in our first season in National One lying fourth in the table. That makes us at the moment, the 40th Club in Scottish rugby. Last year, in our promotion-winning season, at this stage in the season, we were lying second in National Two. That made us then effectively the 50th Club. No one on the playing or coaching side or the Executive is complacent but we do say we should not overlook the progress we have made.
Further progress will depend in part on our playing strength and we can take some pride in the consistency with which we have been fielding three senior Clubs in the first half of the season. When games have been cancelled it is more often our opponents than us. Many of the visiting Clubs who are coming to
Linlithgow is a club that has always looked to its Youth Section to develop players. You need only look at the make-up of our senior teams to see the fruits of these efforts and the loyalty of so many of our youngsters as they come through into senior rugby. As ever there are more behind that we hope to see following their former team mates. In numbers we are going through one of our best ever spells, with comfortably over 200 youth players registered. Our youngsters are doing well on the field! The U15s and U18s have each progressed to later stages in their level of the Brewin Dolphin Cup. The U16s have reached the top tier of the Edinburgh District League which will take place over the next few weeks. And at the lower end of the school, the S1s and S2s are turning in consistently good results and performances.
This success in numbers and competition is down to the hard work of the coaches and players. But it is also due to the efforts of PJ our Club Development Officer. This last year saw a change in personnel and we said at the time he left that Graham McKenzie would be a hard act to follow. We should therefore congratulate PJ for settling in so well and helping to contribute to the future playing strength of the Club.
Not many will know that, as well as changing personnel, we also slightly changed the role of our Club Development Officer to ensure that more of his time and effort would be directed within the club, overseeing all youth development. The individual players and coaches benefit and so do we as a Club, as well of course as the school teams for which we now have full responsibility. Our Minis have been hard hit by the weather in recent weeks but we shall see how they get on in the second half of the season.
Off the field as well, work is in hand. We continue to invest in upgrading the Club House facilities, as we have over the past three years. This year the major task has been the upgrading of the electrics, the switchboard and the fire alarm system - not dramatic but essential. In the same bracket falls the recent roof repair which keeps us watertight while we consider whether the roof needs some more radical attention.
We have also begun to re-energise work on the development plans that we have spoken about at the last two AGMs. There will be more discussion about these plans within the Club. We will take various opportunities over the next few weeks to publicise the plans and what we have been doing, where we are and what we need to consider. Information will be posted in the clubhouse (beginning this Friday at the 300 Club Draw) and on the website and in the weekly newsletter. Later, there will be opportunities for the discussion within the Club. After all, we must not forget that 2010 brings an important milestone for Linlithgow RFC as we reach the 40th Anniversary of the Club’s re-founding. We shall very soon be looking for volunteers to help plan anniversary events as well!
Feedback from all members will be sought and there will be an opportunity for dialogue about our development plans as we enter this milestone year. You can contact any of the Executive club members - contact details are on the website, at the end of the weekly newsletter "Update" or in the Members’ Handbook.
Best wishes to all members for 2010,
Linlithgow RFC Executive
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