HAPPY NEW SEASON (ALMOST)

Well the new season is almost upon us and we certainly hope that it is going to be happy! Here are some Bullett Points to start you off.

  • Completely new Coaching Team
  • Berkshire Cup Final at Home to Redingensians Sat 25th August 2.15pm kick off
  • New Sharpened Committee Structure
  • Significant new Committee Members set to make a mark.
  • Cementing One Club Principles
  • Want a Committee post or a voluntary job within the Club?
  • Pre-Season Working Party Sat/Sun 11th/12th August.( I know some of you won’t get this reminder in time)
  • We have grass!!!
  • Update re Twickenham Tickets
  • Update re the Grandstand and Car Parking.

Completely New Coaching Team.

Rory Greenslade-Jones has been recruited as Head Coach and he has built a completely new coaching and support team with the overall aim of winning our new league at the first attempt. We were all bitterly disappointed at being relegated last season but putting a positive spin on it, it was the catalyst for some key changes that has led to One Club, New Committee Structure/People and the new Coaching team. Rory is an ex Para who has played for Wales A, Pontypridd, Gloucester, London Scottish and London Welsh. A quick fire winger/centre in his playing days he is looking to instil attractive but winning rugby into a Bracknell team that had some confidence knocked out of it. Stuart Silvester (or Sly to his few friends on the training paddock!) is a player coach who has represented The British Army at hooker and says that he is looking forward to showing the younger boys how to do it.

A pre-season training camp advertised as a trip to the sea-side turned out to be a visit to the Royal Marines training camp and once the boys realised they didn’t need their bucket and spades they had 2 days of full on training followed by some well-earned team bonding in the evening. There are several new players lined up to join the Club and full details will be published in the next newsletter.

Diary Dates:

Saturday August 25th. Delayed Berkshire Cup Final/Warm up match v Redingensians 2.15pm kick off at Lily Hill Park (See Below)

Saturday Sept 8th . League. Bracknell v Cheltenham

Saturday Sept 15th.League. Bracknell v Coney Hill

All of the other Club senior teams i.e. the 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, Ladies and the Academy sides have been training well and I have even heard rumours of the occasional veterans XV getting together. Perhaps those old stagers Radders and Mabs are behind that. New players are very welcome at all levels so please just pitch up to training at 7.00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays or contact Martin Radford on 07876 658689 or .

For the Redingensians and Cheltenham Matches. BOOK FOR PRE MATCH LUNCH. 3 COURSES. £12.00. Contact Steve Ward. 07774 821190 .

The Berkshire Cup Final match will be supported by a pre-season BarBQ with music in the bar and a bouncy castle and other activities for the kids. Please support YOUR Club and in particular at this match. See bottom of the Newsletter for details of a special offer for this match.

New Sharpened Committee Structure and New Committee Personnel

As recommended by the One Club study the Executive Committee has been made smaller so that in can focus on the key strategic priorities of the Club and most of the day to day running of the Club has been vested in 3 sub committees namely

The Playing Committee

The Commercial Committee

The Facilities Committee

Also we are delighted to welcome 4 new Executive Committee members; Peter Mably as Vice Chairman, Martin Radford as Chairman of Playing, Roy Holland as Chairman of Finance and Wayne McVeigh as Hon. Secretary. As many of you will know both Mabs and Radders are ex Club Captains who bring considerable Rugby Experience to the Exec. Roy and Wayne have both been involved in the Mini and Junior rugby set up and this along with their business skills and experience add considerable strength to the Executive Committee. Ian Hallam continues as Chairman, Mark Studd as M+J Chairman, John Evans as Chairman of Facilities and Steve Ward, who returns to the Exec after a short break heads up the Commercial Committee.

Now after that build up how can they fail. !!

I am sure you would all like to join me in congratulating our President Jonathan Dance upon his appointment as Vice President of the Rugby Football Union, and he is now on the ladder to become President of The Rugby Football Union in the 2014/15 season. A great honour for Jonathan and of course Bracknell and Berkshire rugby.

Moving back onto the sub committees there are also some significant new and returning faces. These include Mark Schofield in the new position of Bar Chairman, David Bolton as Communications Chairman, Paul Hayhow as One Club Co-ordinator and Alan Turner on the Facilities Committee. Neil Keates is the new Social Members Rep and he is putting together a clubhouse entertainment programme. BUT more volunteers are needed and you could be added to this list. In particular we are looking for the following positions to be filled so please express an interest.

Chairman of Sponsorship

Marketing Co-ordinator

Commercial Committee Administrator

First XV Manager

Sponsorship and Advertising Sales

Fundraising Manager

Club Shop Assistant

The overall aim is to spread out the work to as many people as possible, co-ordinate and manage it effectively to derive maximum benefit so the Club as a whole (i.e. One Club) can benefit in all areas. If you are interested, or know somebody who may be please contact Steve Ward, Wayne McVeigh or Martin Radford in the first instance. And if you want to volunteer for something that isn’t mentioned let’s explore that as well

Cementing One Club Principles

Paul Hayhow will be ensuring that all of the One Club principles are implemented. He will be working closely with Martin Radford and Pete Mably his fellow One Club Committee members to do this.

Mini and Junior Rugby

The M&Js start at 10am on Sunday 2nd September. Thanks to Caroline Beard and Daimon Evans for stepping up to manage and coach the new U7s age group this year, also Ross McMurray for stepping up to take on the Minis Secretary role which has been vacant for some time. Bracknell has been setting the standard for the Berkshire Youth sides to follow for the past few years and we are looking forward to maintaining this in the coming season.

If anybody needs any information about Mini or Junior Rugby please contact Mark Studd 07795 602502 .

There will be tea and coffee and bacon rolls etc. etc. available from 9.30am every Sunday and subject to demand we are aiming to provide a full breakfast meal service and a tea/coffee/snack service point pitch side in the corner where the 3 pitches meet each other.

The Club Shop is fully stocked up for the start of the season and it is open from Sat August 25th. (I am not sure about August 26th) The opening hours Sunday 9.30am to 10.30am, Saturdays 1 hour before a home 1st XV kick off and Weds eve at about 6.00pm to 7.300pm. A Club Shop Assistant is required. Can you help? Please contact Sarah Radford the Shop Manager on 07776 255397 or

Grandstand and Car Parking and Building Works

You may be aware that we had a planning problem with the local council re the Grandstand related to car parking. We hope (and think) that this is largely resolved however we will be issuing guidance re parking on match Saturdays and Sundays. And we also have a local benefactor who has offered to turn the “bonfire area” into a hard standing car park and this is being progressed. Also the spend a penny appeal has reached its target and the gents toilets will be completely re-furbished and enlarged with the work scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

We Have Grass

The big advantage of the varied summer weather is that the pitches are looking fantastic. And of course Jockey’s work and expertise is another reason

Twickenham Tickets

We have a particularly good allocation for the 4 England pre xmas matches v Fiji, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. If you haven’t already done so now is the time to apply and you should be successful in obtaining some tickets for at least one of the big three matches. A form with dates and instructions on how to apply is attached. The 6 nations form will be out shortly.

Small Bullett Points

  • Diary Date. Sportsman’s Dinner with Lewis Moody as main speaker Fri March 22nd 2013
  • Join the 200 Club. Win £2000. Help the Club. Please see attached.
  • 1st Home League Match. Sat 8th September v Bletchley. Kick Off 3.00pm. Music in the Lounge in the early eve
  • A fixture List is attached
  • Bar Happy Hours are back. Friday and Saturday Evenings. Details to follow. Commencing Sat 25th August
  • Work has commenced on the Club database. When completed you will no longer get multiple copies of this message.