 Devizes Rugby Club is one of the first rugby clubs in the country to receive an award from the Rugby Football Union's Community Club Development Programme. The grant is for work to improve their pitches.
Club Chairman Jon Thompson said, "The town has some of the best sporting facilities in the area but limited by having only one pitch. The second pitch will enable us to expand our activities including hosting County matches. We are planning improvements to the training facilities to complement our Seal of Approval status. 
CLUB COMMUNITY COACHING INVOLVEMENT
The Club will deliver 218 hours of coaching, an increase of 93 hours on last season, including dedicated girl’s rugby at two secondary schools which culminated in the first inter-school matches and participation in the Emerging Schools Festivals.
The Primary School TAG programme, with a record 14 Primary Schools will culminate in three Festivals in March. Last year All Cannings Primary made the National TAG Finals.
The Club has record numbers attending training on Sunday mornings fed by the players coached in many of the local schools and supported by over 40 qualified coaches whose coach training costs are funded totally by the Club.
The Club’s Community Liaison Officer delivers coaching courses on behalf of the RFU and Local Authority aimed specifically at teachers. A key requirement in the School/Club link Agreement is that teachers actively participate in the delivery of the sessions so that they can learn and continue to deliver quality sessions after the coach has moved on.
The key outcomes of the programme are that more young people, particularly girls are playing rugby in & out of school time and competing in inter and intra school competitions, Festivals and Club fixtures.
The Club has successfully developed effective partnerships with a range of organisations that underpin the community programme. These include Devizes Sports College, Lavington Secondary School, Primary Schools, Local Authority Sports Development Department, and Mid Wiltshire Sports Partnership, School Sport’s Coordinators, Dorset & Wilts CB and RFU staff.
The Club has invested in the community programme by underwriting coach education training, devoting time to secure resources needed to deliver the programme, providing specialist equipment and coaching expertise to be used in coaching sessions and ensuring through School Club Agreements that outputs and outcomes meet the planned programmes of activity in line with the Club Seal of Approval objectives.
Here are some comments from those most closely involved in the programme:
Player Perspective
- Rosie said “I learnt a whole new set of skills, laws of a new game and how too apply them when being bashed about. I liked all of it – every bit”!
- Amber said “I had never played before but loved the tackling in particular and I also made many new friends”
- Maddy said: “I am a county footballer but now I can play rugby properly, can tackle safely and enjoy everything about the game – fab”!
Teacher Perspective
- “The coach delivered rugby to girls that had never played contact rugby before. The fun and enjoyment they got and the level of learning was fantastic. The two matches were hard fought and skilful. We have extended rugby into 2009 so we can participate in the Emerging Schools Festivals in March 2009”.
Ali Beck – Director of Sport – Devizes Sports College, Devizes
- “The players have got so much from this programme. Girls with little self confidence have suddenly become stars within their peer groups. The transformation through rugby is amazing. The standard of rugby improves with each new September intake, hot off the Primary TAG programme. I am actively seeking to extend rugby over two terms as rugby has been such a good core activity for our students.
Lisa Adams – Head of PE – Lavington School – Market Lavington
Local Authority Perspective
“This was by far the best quality of rugby played at a Tag Rugby Festival since they began 8 years ago.
We all feel so proud that a little village school, All Cannings, made it to the National Tag Rugby Finals! It makes our hard work worthwhile, especially for Devizes Rugby Club and the committed work they do with all our Primary Schools”.
Amanda Cox – Sports Development Manager - Wiltshire Council
TAG Festival Sporting Champion - Phil de Glanville
“What a great day and what a delight the kids were. A fantastic advert for the game, the Club, the CSLA officials from the school and the young players - well done Devizes Rugby Club – keep it going”.
Coach Perspective
“It is difficult to believe why young people have such a poor image in our society today. To see the Year 9 and 10 girls play matches of such intensity, but with great enjoyment, skill and ability is a reminder to us all why we invest in the development of the game at grassroots”.
Andy Smith – Community Liaison Coach – Devizes RFC
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