Junior Co-Chair 2021/22 Season Letter
Welcome
We hope that everyone is safe and well and we are very much looking forward to welcoming you back for the start of the 2021/22 season.
On behalf of everyone involved at Battersea Ironsides Rugby Club, we would like to thank you both for your support throughout the pandemic and for your engagement in the RFU adjusted programme. We were pleased to see so many players enjoying training and playing on the pitches, including the Mini’s after school summer training sessions, and also to see such a high level of enthusiasm for the online programme we organised during lockdown when we were not able to meet face to face.
Our season will start on Sunday 5th September for all age groups, except for the MICRO Mini’s (U5/U6’s) who will start on Sunday 12th September.
Spond - our new club management system
This year we will be using Spond, our new Club Management software to manage everything from player availability and communications to this Autumn’s International ticket ballot. Please do look out for notifications (messages) and respond in a timely manner.
Website - brand new and updated
We were also pleased to launch a new website for the club - http://www.ironsidesrugby.com so do take a look and check the website for all the latest Club news.
Memorial Game and 1st XV 4th September - support welcomed
We hope this season will see more on the pitch action and less Covid-disruption and as is tradition the Junior Rugby Club will provide a Guard of Honour to cheer our players onto the pitch at Garratt Green, for the Memorial Game on Saturday 4th September - 1.00pm kick off. We hope our young players will stay on to cheer the Men’s 1st XV kick off their season at home against London Welsh at 3.00pm.
New Kit - to be revealed shortly
We are also pleased to unveil our new “One Club” kit provided by Akuma (a big thank you to everyone who voted in the recent Spond kit design poll) with our new kit sponsors. More information will follow regarding the new kit. A huge THANK YOU to Michael & Gill Leech who have run the Junior Kit shop, over countless years come rain, hail or shine. We wish them all the best in whatever they choose to do, filling their Sunday mornings going forward!
Clubhouse - reopening
Off the pitch we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back into a newly decorated and refurbished Club House. Last year we Project Managed and invested over £50,000 in improving the Club House facilities and hope to have some very exciting news to share with you regarding the Rugby Club running the Club House Catering Franchise when, fingers crossed, the water is finally connected in October! In the interim we’ll run a “pop up” bar and food service.
AGM
Other important events to look out for at the beginning of the season are:
the Sports Club’s (BISOL) AGM, where we have been given the opportunity to share a future vision for the development of Openview, to meet the needs of Rugby, Football and Cricket within a community run Sports Club;
the Rugby Club’s AGM, which will follow the Sports Club AGM.
We would urge you to attend both meetings, not only to listen to what’s been happening and understand plans for the future but also to share your thoughts and views – this is your Sports and Rugby Club!
Volunteers
Finally, we would like to thank all of our volunteers for both the time they give up and the effort they put in, so that our players have the opportunity to enjoy playing the game of Rugby in a safe & secure environment.
We are always on the lookout for new volunteers to help both within our age groups and to help run the Junior Section of our Club. So, if you have a skill that you think we could use or you want to help but are not sure how you can help, please do get in touch and together we can continue to move our Club from strength to strength!
2,3 Ironsides
Dave Watson - Mini’s Chair
Alan Wilkins - Youth Chair
