CRANLEIGH RFC NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2006
As we rapidly approach the start of a new season it seems an appropriate time to issue a Club newsletter to update people on what has been happening over the summer & look ahead with keen anticipation to the forthcoming rugby season.
New President Luke Margetts
I would like to open by saying how utterly flattered I am by the kind thoughts & good wishes from so many, plus also to the outgoing committee for proposing me as the new President of Cranleigh Rugby Club.
When the idea was first 'floated' to me at the Dinner Dance I was not so sure, but upon reflection I had to agree that the Club needed to move on to the next stepping stone in it's rapid development & that it was indeed a very sensible idea to have a President who had first hand experience of both the senior & junior sections of the Club.
As Club members we are very lucky to have had such strong minded, hard working, dedicated & determined Presidents in Ron Thomas & Colston Herbert. Both Ron & Colston can be justifiably proud to have given the Club such significant legacies of their work, each very different in the output but no less important & certainly no less difficult.
Ron was President when I joined the club 20 years ago & was in fact a member of the original committee. In fact he sat on the committee every year until he retired. I have always seen Ron as a driver of the infrastructure of the Club; he was at the helm when we first bought the land & again when we bought the Simon Campbell Memorial Pitches over the road; he was at the helm to build the first Clubhouse & again to rebuild it when it was burnt down 12 years ago; he was the man who got grants & who pushed planning consent through by canvassing the local counselor who happened to be his barber! To me Ron was the ultimate back room man.
Colston was the 1st XV coach when I first started at the Club as he had been for a number of years prior & has been in or around that role until this year. Colston has been the man who has single handedly driven the 1st XV playing side to levels that perhaps were above our rightful aspirations & he played a major part in some memorable achievements for the club both before the league system started & after, with promotions & cup success being the headline grabbers. Colston & Cranleigh should also be proud to have promoted a number of players from our ranks into senior representative rugby.
You can see from the brief summaries above that both Ron & Colston have been extremely influential in different ways at our Club & have left their own individual stamp that should be remembered by all.
For my part I gave up playing around 9 years ago & have recently started coaching in the U7 age group, working alongside many others in the hope that our children will have opportunities of playing this wonderful sport to a high level & with it progress the club to higher levels too.
The "one club" subject comes up on many occasions & has over the years been a bit of a bone of contention which has, in my opinion, been a hindrance to the transfer of players from one section to the other & detrimental to both sections. One of the reasons for the one club issue to rumble on without solution is that it seems you cannot mention the words "one club" without someone saying "ah but what about the bank accounts?" or "they are only doing it because they want our money".
The reason for bringing up this subject is that I would like to make my statement for a 'legacy' that I will do whatever I can to achieve the "one club" goal for us all & this will primarily mean:
- Clarity & transparency between the senior & junior sections of the club - a clear understanding of what both sections stand for & what makes them tick.
- A common goal to make sure that players do transfer from the junior ranks into the senior club.
- Common use of facilities & resources.
To do this I hope to be able to help to cross fertilise both sections so that neither section fears the other. In short my motto will be: "understanding through transparency"
The subject of the joint bank accounts etc is in my opinion both an irrelevance & a distraction. Whilst it may come about naturally in time it is not the precursor to the future development of both sections of the Club.
I think the Club has an ideal opportunity to move forward in leaps & bounds for the following reasons:-
- We have a new senior section coaching team made up of past players & coaches from the juniors.
- A 1st XV captain who started in the CRFC U7 section.
- A junior section Chairman who has considerable experience on the rugby field & who is dedicated to the development of the Club.
- A terrific legacy from Liz Townsend & her team which has set the Club's infrastructure on a very sound footing for the future.
- Excellent thriving mini & junior sections
- Not forgetting our all conquering Cramberleigh girls' team with the new changing & showering facilities to facilitate both girls & women's rugby.
I hope we can all work together to build on these assets & opportunities together.
My final thought is for the family & friends of Harry Watts. I didn't know Harry personally but was privileged to see him receive the Nathan Perides Award at the Dinner Dance. I remember both my wife & I being very proud for his mum & dad because we too have a Harry who plays at the Club. Tragedy such as has befallen the Watts family is unthinkable but sadly it does happen, but the one positive thing I can say is that the way Cranleigh Rugby Club has deals with such a tragedies is very special & I`m sure that Harry's friends & family will have drawn great strength from the wonderful bond that exists throughout the Club. I am also sure that you would all like to join me in wishing Harry's family well.
Luke Margetts
Former 1st XV Captain Rob Wheeler
Colston's Retirement
I am sitting here in San Francisco now thinking about my friend, Colston Herbert as Toby Eves has asked me to write something about him following his recent retirement from office at the Club after an amazing total of 31 years service to Cranleigh RFC.
Actually I could probably write a book about this man, about his generosity, his devotion to our Club, his interest in us as people & our children...but this has to be just one article.
I will tell you this: that along with my brothers, Matt, Duncan & Joel, my father & a certain John Bailey, this man has changed my life - there are some special women too but this is a family newsletter! I am in the US currently & therefore a lot of you will write this off as rubbish & put it down to one of my eccentricities, but I am here to tell you that if you did not have the pleasure of getting to know Colston personally as I have then you have missed one of life's all to rare opportunities to know a truly great man.
I mean it & I know that the other players' carry the same sentiment, so Tim Bargeman & I were proud to do something for him when he announced his retirement, as we hold him in such great affection. I am so glad that 80 or more of you agreed with us & came to his the party on July 15th. I know that even of you more wanted to come but for one reason or another were not able to make it on the day. I love this club & always will do & I know that CWH does.
Rob Wheeler
1st XV Captain James Moore
ARE YOU DELUDED?
Good news everyone, this stupid season they call the summer is coming to an end & soon those cold dark evenings we will be upon us. With the onslaught of rain, snow, frost & hale creeping around the corner, so to comes the game of kings, the game we were all born to play. Are you ready to clean those boots, strap those limbs together & summon that killer instinct to do battle? The Rugby season is upon us NOW!
I feel there still may be a few deluded players out there who are under the impression that there well cultivated summer beer guts & natural skills will allow them to slide seamlessly back in to the game of legends & be victorious. If only this was so.
Fear not, help is at hand with excellent coaching every Tuesday & Thursday night - 7.15 - 9pm. With a few could sessions under your belt, you could be primed & ready to dive gracefully over the line to score that try in LESS THAN 4 WEEKS TIME. As a Club we need everyone sharp & ready for the season, so get down there & let's get ready to destroy any team we play this season.
James Moore
Clubhouse
Many people may not be aware but the Clubhouse gets put to lots of different uses; here are a few examples:
· Upholstery Club
· Little Harriers Nursery
· Parties (Club Members)
· Caravan Club
· Meetings
· Netball
Any Club member who is interested in hiring the Club's facilities should contact House Manager Cliff Ilsley on 01483 536561
Little Harriers Day Nursery are also offering a 5% discount on childcare to all Cranleigh Rugby Club Members - phone Mike for more information on 01483 277299
Netball on a Wednesday evening is also popular - Contact: mariemcentee1987@hotmail.com
Mini & Junior Registration Day=Sunday 3/9
STOP PRESS - O-Pro will be visiting the Club on Sunday 10 September @ 11:30 AM to fit mouthguards. See here for further details: www.opro.com
