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Updated About Us - 1998 to 2004
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About Us (Part1 - 1998 to 2001)
September 1998
January to April 1999
May 1999
August 1999
September 1999
Stats 1999 to 2000
June - August 2000
Sept 2000 - May 2001
Stats 2000 to 2001
June - August 2001
About Us (Part2 - 2001 to 2004)
Further Information
ABOUT US (Part 1 - 1998 to 2001)
SEPTEMBER 1998
The club had severe retention and recruiting problems, so much so that it was only able to field one team. In previous years it had always managed to put two sides out, and in the 1991/92 season the third team was a regular feature. In November 1998, 13 players travelled to Cotgrave for a league game and were beaten 80-0.
A players meeting was held shortly afterwards, at which they insisted that the club would fold if the committee did not agree to the club's withdrawal from the league to concentrate on 'friendly only' games during the second half of the season. The main reason cited was the average age of the team, which at around 36, was often 15 or so years older than that of their oppenents.
The comittee agreed to the team's withdrawal from the league and started on the road to recovery by inviting a former club captain - now holding coaching qualifications - to assist with regards to devising a development plan. It was the initial intention for the senior players to continue playing friendly fixtures until a sufficiant number of youth players hadmatured to take their place.
JANUARY TO APRIL 1999
A bid was put to Awards for All to provide finance to enable the development plan to be put together. The club purchased a mobile telephone together with posters for placing in relevant locations (sports centres, community centres, public houses, etc). A number of players were recruited as a result.
MAY 1999
At the club AGM, the membership decided to apply to rejoin the league. It was vital o recruit senior players ready for the start of the 1999/2000 season to support the ageing team. The club held its themed 'Titanic Dinner' (club sinking without a trace).
AUGUST 1999
The Awards for All bid was approved - the club received a grant of £4,895.
SEPTEMBER 1999
The number of young adult players recruited as a result of the telephone and poster campaign together with a large number of 'veteran' age players enabled the club to run a development team to supplement the first team.
The lottery money was used to purchase more posters for greater distribution, as well as business cards and key fobs. Members went on active recruiting drives 'in droves' in the public houses in Lincoln City centre on Saturday evenings. Specialist coaching sessions were provided including a kicking clinic by Simon Hodgikinson, as well as two sessions by Rotherham RUFC. These high profile events were afforded the highest possible profile in the local press to encourage new members, and again use was made of the new mobile number. During the season two 'pub sevens' festivals were arranged again as part of the ongoing recruiting drive. The club was featured in the Midlands Division page in the May edition of Rugby World.
STATISTICS 1999/2000
The 1st team finished fourth in NLD 3, as well as runners up in the Lincolnshire RFU Plate Final (lost to Skegness 10-0) The development team played 22, won 8, drew 2 and lost 12- a win ratio of 41%. The season ended with a Development Team Tour to North Yorkshire. The Club held its themed 'Phoenix Dinner' (the club rising from the ashes).
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST 2000
Following on from the improvements of 1999/2000, the club put together detailed development plans covering 1, 5 and 5 year time spans. Playerscontinued to be recruited to the club including the nucleus of a youth team. Training numbers averaged 30/35 throughout the season. The 'pub sevens' became a regular feature on the calendar. Rotherham RUFC again conducted training sessions. The club was featured in the August edition of the RFU's 'Touchline' newspaper.
SEPTEMBER 2000/MAY 2001
In the second half of the season, the 1st teams's wingers and fullback were under 21 and two thirds of the back row were under 20. Development players from the previous season were making their way into the first team. In April the club fielded its first ever under 16 team in two fixtures against local rivals Grimsby. A third team was raised on four occasions towards the end of the season.
STATISTICS 2000/2001.
The 1st team were winners of NLD/LEICS 2 EAST and runners up in the Lincolnshire RFU Plate Final (lost 27-13 to Boston in extra time). A total record of played 24, won 18, drawn 1 and lost 5 - a win ratio of 77% - was the best ever in the history of the club. Total points scored was 659, against 208 - a points difference of +451. The development team played 22, won 11, drew 1 and lost 10 - a win ratio of 52% - the best second team season since 1981/82. The third team played 4, won 0, drew 0 and lost 4 - a win ratio of 0%. The youth team played 2, won 0, drew 0 and lost 2 - a win ratio of 0%
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST 2001
a) Five members attended the RFU Youth Level 1 coaches course, with the intention of using these individuals as club outreach workers to encourage further youth into the club to supplement the existing players. Use in youth centres and local secondary schools was envisaged.
b) A second Awards for All bid was put together with a strong emphasis on youth in a targeted secondary school.
c) Seven club members attended and passed the National 15-a-side referees course. If the club was to have regular 2nd and 3rd team fixturesthroughout the season, the lack of society referees was a major concern. This was addressed by building a pool of the club's own refs.
d) The club became a member of the South Lincolnshire Rugby Active Sport Committee. The club was aware that the funding is conditional to NGB qualifications being held - hence the attendance at the coaching and referee's courses this close season.
e) Two Adult Level II coaches attended the Midlands Division Coaches Conference at Warwick on 30th June/1st July, with the aim of introducing different training routines and patterns of play to those already established at the club.
f) A combined services under 21 coach was brought into the club as part of the coaching team.
g) The youth team was entered into the NLD U17 league for the second half of the season.
h) Improved lighting was obtained for winter training sessions.
ABOUT US (Part 2 - 2001 - 2004)
Since the end of the highly successful 2000/2001 season the club has continued to develop. A large number of the initial youth team from the 1999/2000 season have now matured and towards the end of the 2003/4 season a third of the first team were players who were from that original 1999/2000 youth team.
The remainder are now regular members of the second team. This has had the effect of allowing some of our older players who were soon to receive their bus passes to step down into the second team for a much needed rest.
The club won Notts/Lincs/Derbys Division Two East in the 2002/3 season but sensibly decided to decline the promotion to allow the younger players a further season to develop in the lower league. This policy was justified with the team again winning the league in 2003/4 as well as finishing runners up in the Lincolnshire RFU Plate Competition.
The club have also been heavily involved in the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership's Active Sports Programme and are one of their focus club's. In early 2003 club coaches visited six local secondary school's to introduce tag rugby to girls in years 7, 8 and 9. The coaching sessions culminated in a festival of tag rugby held at the club in May. This event was covered on both the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership web site and the Sport England East Midlands Regional Newspaper. In all fifty girls took part in the training sessions of which thirty made the transition into the club environment. It was clear from the level of interest generated by the programme that there was sufficient support for the formation of a contact girl's team at Under 14/15. Training sessions started in early October 2003 with the team playing its first game in February 2004.
In all a total of four matches were played during the season of which three were won. The team scored 160 points in those four games and six players were brought to the attention of the RFUW East Midlands selector's at Under 16 Level.
Of those three girls, Sophie Smith, Laura Greenwood and Robyn Steward were selected and played for the region in festivals at St Albans and Litchfield. The club were the first in Lincolnshire to develop a girls section providing full contact rugby (subject to the RFUW Law Variations).
The highlight of the season for the girls was undoubtedly the invitation to the RWC Sweet Chariot Tour Reception at the Lawn Visitor Centre in March. The girls had the opportunity of a lifetime and the whole group had their photograph taken with the Webb Ellis Trophy - truly a night to remember.
North Kesteven are also involved in delivering tag rugby sessions to primary school children under the Powergen Community Tag Rugby Programme. During late Autumn 2003 club coaches visited nine local junior school's and introduced tag rugby to around 500 children in the local area. The resulting festival brought 140 children to the club - a number matched only by the Lincolnshire Youth Games. The winning school All Saints North Hykeham had the honour of playing at Welford Road, entertaining the crowd before Leicester Tigers match with Harlequins in early March 2004. Eight girls from the All Saints School have since made the transition from tag rugby at their school to contact rugby at the club. This only helps to increase the playing strength of the girls section. The festival was featured in an article in the RFU Touchline magazine - edition 57
A number of the boys who participated in the Powergen Programme have also expressed an interest in playing contact rugby for North Kesteven. To that end two development training days have taken place since the end of the Powergen Programme with the intention of forming an Under 12/13 side for the start of the 2004/5 season. A total of 27 boys now form the nucleus of that squad.
This now means that the club will be running even more youth teams in the 2004/5 season
Male Under 19
Male Under 17
Male Under 12/13
Girls Under 16
Girls Under 14
By far the most important development in the last couple of years had been the RFU Community Rugby Seal of Approval and Sport England Clubmark which were awarded to the club in March 2004. For a junior club at the lowest level in the league pyramid to be awarded the Seal of Approval was the culmination of nearly two years of hard work by the Club's Development Officers. The club are the first in NLD to be awarded the Seal of Approval an achievement for which they are justifiably proud.
The club have been supported in their development work over the last three years by The Sir Arthur Wharton Trust, The Community Council of Lincolnshire, North Hykeham Town Council, Notts/Lincs/Derbys Youth Task Group, Hykeham Fuel Supplies and Trybal Clothing. As a small club with limited finances their support has been invaluable. A large number of the youth players - male and female live on the large housing estates in the City Of Lincoln. For many, transport to and from training sessions and matches is a real problem.
The club have addressed this by providing transport for the players with the money found from the grants made from the above organisations
If you require any further information in respect of North Kesteven Rugby Club
please do not hesitate to contact either - A.France or M.J.Kemp,
Club Development Officers - North Kesteven RUFC.
E-mail: northkesteven.rufc@ntlworld.com
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