\\ IN THIS WEEK'S UPDATE //
Coach stash is here!! >
New pitch space at Tech is now available >
Social Media Group >
Ball Technician Rota
\\ IN THIS WEEK'S UPDATE // Coach stash is here!! > New pitch space at Tech is now available > Social Media Group > Ball Technician Rota
UPDATES
PITCHES FOR THIS WEEK
This week’s pitch plan has been finalised and can be found below
WHATEVER THE WEATHER
We’re now really pleased we have extra all weather pitch space for youth mid week training and for minis and youth to use on Sunday mornings.
The Committee has prioritised this investment for the mini and youth age groups to ensure we can get as many children as possible playing - no matter what the weather throws at us.
We will use the pitch as an extra space in normal conditions but also have a contingency plan for its use, should the pitches become unplayable.
Please see the FAQs for a reminder of the pitch inspection process
RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL
The Women’s rugby World Cup semi final will be showing from 9am at the Club next Sunday, so resist the temptation to watch the score and come and watch it with friends (and a hot drink / croissant / bacon sandwich!).
Come on you Red Roses!
COACH STASH IS HERE!!!
Having circumnavigated the globe several times the new coach stash is here!
We are enormously grateful to our volunteer coaches and believe they deserve top quality stash to keep them warm through those cold winter months on the pitch.
This year qualifying coaches will receive a polar fleece - the best stash we have ever provided!
Similar to previous years - to qualify coaches must have:
paid their child’s subs
have an up to date DBS (or be in progress)
completed the annual training (head case and safeguarding)
Hendo is collating the list of those who have completed what they need to from GMS this weekend and will message those to ask them to confirm their size. The first batch should be ready for collections from next week.
ACTION REQUIRED
BALL TECHNICIANS
Please see the Ball Technician rota for the remainder of the season below.
Please can you diarise and make sure you provide a minimum of 4 ball technicians for allotted game.
For mini age groups who would like to support a match and provide ball technicians, please let Hendo know which fixture you’d like them to attend.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
I have added age group leads to a WhatsApp group for social media content.
You can stay on the group and provide social media content or nominate someone else from your age group who will take responsibility to provide content regularly.
Why is this important?
We want to celebrate all our successes
We want to increase our social presence
Attract more players and volunteers
What content are we looking for?
Team photos
Action shots (High Definition)
Happy (and/or muddy) faces
Short videos (Max 20 seconds)
Player Interviews
Coach Interviews
Match Reports
Tik Tok challenges
How often do we want content?
We have 15 age groups across the minis and youth, so we are not necessarily looking for content from every age group every week, but we do want to celebrate our mini and youth players’ successes.
AFFILIATION
Don’t forget that all of our mini and youth players need to affiliate. Having made good progress, Tim McLaughlin has kindly offered to follow up directly with members who haven’t affiliated to help them sign up. Remember, that the Club is required by the RFU regulations to have all mini and youth players affiliated and players should not be selected for fixtures if they have not affiliated.
MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION
We are making great progress with collection of subs, with around 75% of members having paid. If you haven’t paid yet please either pay ASAP or let your age group lead or Andy McClinton know if you need any support. Further reminders will be sent in the coming weeks.
COMING SOON
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The Club will be showing the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final from 9am on Sunday 13/11. Bring your friends and family and enjoy a hot drink, bacon sandwich or croissant.
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Next Sunday we will be remembering the fallen during the session. Please keep
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A family favourite each year - with a traditionally warm and festive atmosphere. Enjoy a perennially heartwarming rendition of Little Donkey performed by our youngest oaks or rousing rounds of the 12 days and God King Wenceslas. Mulled Wine and minced pies a-plenty await all who attend…. and keep an eye out for a jolly fat man in a red suit!
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Volunteers required to help organise our funday in December!
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COACH EDUCATION
RFU COURSES
There are still plenty of opportunities for coaches to attend RFU coaching courses - check them out below.
We do have a limited budget available for coaches to attend courses appropriate to their age groups. Please contact Hendo for more information
SAFEGUARDING
All our volunteer coaches need to be DBS checked in order to coach at the Club and the club regularly monitors that its coaches are up to date. With the first check being completed this week, coaches can proactively check their status on GMS, or check with Hendo.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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All of our amazing parents should have received subs requests direct from Spond and most have paid.
It’s vital that all players are members, in order to be covered by the Club’s insurance and whilst there is a short grace period (primarily for members who are new to the club) we ask that this is paid as soon as possible as we enter weekend of fixtures and festival.
If anyone hasn’t received a request – we recommend checking the contact details on Spond in the first instance.
If there are any other issues, anyone can contact their age group lead or Andy McClinton, which includes anyone who needs financial support.
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Sevenoaks Rugby asks all parents of Mini players in the U5s, 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s to remain on site and pitch-side during training and matches. Only by exception can they be absent and then they must nominate another adult to take responsibility for their child and inform the relevant coach and the player.
We find that some players in these groups can get upset if they are left alone and sometimes need emotional support from a parent or adult they recognise.
For parents of Mini players in the U10s and 11s that do not remain pitch side they must inform the coach and the player and remain contactable (or nominate another adult to take responsibility).
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Padded headgear / scrum caps has never been approved or marketed by World Rugby or the RFU to reduce the risk of concussion and there continues to be no conclusive evidence that wearing headguards reduces the chances of sustaining a concussion while playing or training.
Wearing a headguard should be the personal choice of the player and/or parent. While a headguard can provide some protection (e.g. covering the ears) and confidence (e.g. when introducing players to contact); there is a possibility that wearing protective equipment could potentially change a player’s behaviour (i.e. making them over confident and thus neglecting correct technique and risking further injury to themselves or others). Therefore, players and coaches are encouraged not to neglect correct technique, particularly in the tackle and ensure that players are aware of the purpose of headguards and their limitations.
We recommend that players talk to their coaches about the relative confidence of their child, when deciding whether a headboard is appropriate for them.
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Headcase is one of the UK’s leading concussion awareness and education resources. We take player safety extremely seriously, and this course is aimed at helping us prevent and manage suspected concussions.
COACHES
All of our coaches are required to complete “Headcase” training annually to be able to coach at the club and receive their free stash (which is on the high seas and on its way to us). Coaches can now see on their GMS dashboard whether this is up to date. You should log into GMS course finder (filter for “virtual”) to complete the course.
https://gms.rfu.com/GMS/coursefinder
PARENTS
We also invite the parents of mini and youth players (and youth players) to also complete the training or check out the guidance - it will help prepare them for if the worst should happen and give them insight into the return to play process.
https://rise.articulate.com/share/nc3KPjesYQrj5WjJ4tGS6Grs_ERkPY2Q#/
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The standard process is for a pitch inspection to be completed at 8am on Sunday mornings - NB this does NOT mean that a message will be sent at exactly 8am.
Often an inspection is also made the day before, if not sooner, with the aim of giving people as much notice as possible.
A message is sent to age group leads as soon as possible for them to cascade to their groups. Age groups should not make a unilateral decision to cancel home training or matches without consulting with the Head of Minis/Youth or the DoR.
