As the summer break approaches I thought it would be a good time to update you with a few things and put some key events on your radar.
The Executive Committee meet every month with all teams represented, this forum is where important messages are cascaded to your coaches and team representatives. I hope the communication channel to you is working well and you have a clear understanding of what’s going on at your club? We are always looking to improve our engagement with our members, I absolutely encourage your ideas and help to improve in this area.
Our objectives always surround player development, creating an inclusive environment and improving facilities, these are the three pillars we rigidly stick too when committing time and effort to future actions, plans and projects.
Player Development
Once again we have teams in regional finals, national finals, topping respective leagues and have players on pro club scholarships, former players making pro debuts and in furtherance of our own Blackbrook Player Pathway over half a dozen of our 2018 ‘invincible’ U18 now playing every Saturday for our Open Age who are on the cusp of promotion. We have reaped the reward for the likes of Jack Welsby, Aaron Smith and others financially from the RFL, this money is pumped back into player development. Over the last six months our coach the coaches inputs have been well attended, a fabulous input by Justin Holbrook followed up by a core skills input by Craig Richards from Saints. All our coaches have signed up to constantly refreshing and upskilling themselves to ensure your child gets the best coaching in the town. Again, I encourage you to ask your children how their sessions are going, are they happy? Is there an element of fun? Can you see an improvement? Are they realistically challenged as a group and as individuals?
Creating an inclusive Environment
All those questions posed above will define the attractiveness of the Blackbrook Royals, we have increased our playing numbers from 250 to nearly 270, by 2020 we aim for 300. I continually use a phrase about achieving an ‘emotional commitment’ to #brook. That is the key to successful engagement, we want you and your child to have a desire to part of something that is high performing, that sets high standards on and off the field and shows humbleness amongst our fellow community clubs. The events such as Festivals, the impending Race Night and your end of year presentations are there for you to feel a sense of belonging. We do not want to be a place where your child is dropped off 6-7pm Tuesday and Thursday and watch for an hour on Sunday, we want you to be part of our journey.
Improving facilities
The Recreational Club have the same drive to improve the hospitality features. You can see the work that has been done in the Bar Lounge, redecorated, modern Large screen TV, revamped benches and soon to be new carpets. We are on the verge of having a five figure sum grant accepted from the RFL World Cup bid for the Changing rooms and new boiler systems. Long awaited plans with St Augustine’s School seems to be coming to fruition, come 2020 we hope to have access to the multi use surface area, indoor gyms and their changing rooms as an over spill. We have also made a significant investment again at Ruskin Drive for winter training 2019/20. Only last night, 18th July, our Secretary and I attended a meeting with the RFL and local authority to hear £1m has been earmarked for St Helens Community Rugby League Clubs for small projects and transformational ones. For the transformational projects there is an element of matched funding required, so by you supporting our fundraising events will help us tap into this £1m pot. This is hugely exciting, we have a real opportunity to build on what we already have and deliver what was once only aspirational. This Sunday 21st July plus the 8th September and 29th September we are proud to host North West Counties finals days, further evidence that we are a ‘go to’ Club in the Region.
So, from the inside all looks to be in great shape with a bright future ahead. We need your help to push all these things over the line and deliver. We have volunteers to run the BBQ this Sunday and raise some more funds, if you can help for an hour or so 8th and 29th that great.
More importantly our Race Night, Friday 13th September, we want to have the club bouncing that evening, plans are in advanced stages, each team will have a bespoke race card to complete, good cash prizes and much more. This is our main event for 2019, please support this, bring friends and family friends for an Indian Summer bonanza.
Have a great break, refresh and reload for September #upthebrook
Graham
Blackbrook Royals JRLFC Chair
