Encourage membership
from families of junior section. To increase their participation in the club as
a whole and avoid becoming a club within a club.The purpose of this document is to provide a vision of Old Cryptians RFC in 2010. It offers a vision of what playing standards the club will achieve, financial goals and a vision for the fabric and membership of the club in 5 years time.
Additionally it proposes an outline roadmap of how the vision will be achieved over the next 5 years. Detailed planning and implementation of the roadmap will be the responsibility of successive club committees. The club committee will own the vision and roadmap and thus be responsible for realising the vision. The committee should ensure the vision is updated each year with progress and the roadmap adjusted to take account of this progress. It is also suggested that an elected role be created on the committee as a steward of the vision to monitor progress and to ensure it is realised over time.
This vision is a product of discussion and ideas from the club management committee and from the club membership itself collated from responses to the questionnaire distributed in January 2006. This vision is therefore representative of the club as a whole.
In 2010 Old Cryptians RFC will still be considered the most traditional remaining sole use rugby club in the city. Strong links with the Crypt school, the local community and local schools and strong family involvement will characterise the club. It will continue to have a thriving playing and social membership enjoying first-rate facilities at the Memorial Ground. A thriving junior section will be the most obvious sign of improvement since 2005. The junior section will be the main recruitment source for the senior section of the club and will have brought through a new age group every year since its re-formation in 2005. The 1st team will feature at least 5 of the under-13 side started at the outset of this vision in 2005 and will be completing the most successful playing season since then.
In 2010 the 1st team will have moved through at least 2 leagues and be competing in the Gloucestershire Premiership
In 2010 we will be running 3 senior teams
In 2010 the junior section will include 4 teams at different age groups and each team will be run by a team of at least 4 volunteers trained to an appropriate coaching standard. The junior section will continue to aim to bring through a new age group each year.
In 2010 the Vets will play at least 6 games a season
In 2010 the ladies team will exist
By 2010 the club will have completed a tour to the US, a culmination of successful tours in each of the previous years. A nominated tour representative on committee will ensure that the club continues to achieve its goal of a social tour at the end of each season.
Senior club training will be well attended and no longer be a cause for concern at the club. The players will be provided with good quality training equipment and clothing as well as well as high quality match-day kit. A training incentive scheme will be paying dividends on the pitch. The players representative’s role will have been increased and will act as a catalyst for maintaining training numbers on behalf of the committee as well as a conduit for players grievances and welfare.
By 2010 the club will have a Community Development Officer role on the committee whose responsibility will be to develop links with local schools and the local community to the benefit of the rugby club and in furtherance of this vision.
The Club will continue to be run on a not for profit basis & thus all funds are re-invested to the benefit of all members.
In 2010 the club will have re-invested into the club revenue equal in percentage terms to the growth of the club membership since 2005. The finance committee will manage this re-investment on a year-by-year basis in line with this overall vision.
Revenue from membership subscriptions will be up on a year on year basis since 2005. Most importantly the club will be able to list a significant increase in the number of club members covering all membership types reflecting the success of new membership incentive schemes, the re-introduction of a junior membership and a revamping of the patrons/VPs scheme.
The club will be recognised for its philanthropy having actively given something back to the community by sponsoring a nominated charity each year since 2005. The charity will be chosen by the club committee at the start of each season based on nominations from the club membership.
Although by 2005 the club lease has already been extended to 2018, in 2010 the club will be in a position to maintain at least 5 years on the lease at any time. This will ensure that the club will continue to be located at the Memorial Ground. The lease will have been extended and a satisfactory ground rent will have been established and guaranteed until 2015.
In order to achieve this, by 2010 the club management committee will be meeting with the club trustees on at least an annual basis.
In 2010 the club will be running a successful floodlit tournament at either junior or senior level that is financially sound (via sponsorship) and in association with other local clubs.
In order to run a truly viable competition the club will have enhanced its current floodlighting possibly seeking to floodlight the 2nd team pitch to enable multiple games to played concurrently. The club will seek support from the RFU for this venture.
The pitch will be usable for 95% of all required playing days/evenings during the season through improved drainage and ground maintenance. (This is equivalent to 29 out of 31 Saturdays in the 2005-2006 season)
The club will have explored the viability of building an all weather training pitch through grants from the RFU and possibly in association with local schools and other local rugby and sports clubs.
In 2010, the bar area, the kitchen and cellar areas will have been refurbished to a high and more functional standard.
By 2010 the committee will have taken a decision on whether to extend the current club premises and add associated increased car parking.
In 2010 the club has improved the utilisation of the bar and therefore improved bar revenue through hosting more social events especially at the weekends. These events include the occasional band or disco on a Saturday, Quiz nights on Fridays and barbecue’s and family days on Sunday’s or Saturday’s throughout each Summer.
More spouses and families are enjoying the club facilities through the improved social events and more sympathetic management of smoking and non-smoking and child friendly areas in the club.
The club continues to pride itself on being both a family and friendly rugby club. Links between old friends and new and existing players continue to be forged through a re-instatement of an annual club dinner. This links back to the club long traditions and epitomises the ethos of the club as a friendly extended rugby family.
Membership
Encourage membership
from families of junior section. To increase their participation in the club as
a whole and avoid becoming a club within a club.
Membership incentive
(1): Membership returned if you introduce a new member and they play 10 games
for the club (or split the membership 50/50)
Membership incentive
(2): club scratch cards. The more you sell the more you get back off your
membership
Membership incentive
(3): Provide a membership token –e.g. a pin or a tie or a shirt.
Target colleges
(University of Glos)
Training
Training incentive
scheme: Beer tokens for attending training – redeemable only on a Saturday or
Sunday
Social
More bands or discos
at weekends
Committee Ideas for implementing parts of the vision from
1. Establish a structure for increasing playing membership e.g.
a. Better links to schools
i. Junior Schools – Linden Rd, Calton Rd, St Paul’s and Harwood are all in OC’s catchment area. Possibility to run after school rugby clubs to catch kids early and encourage them to join OC’s fledgling youth set-up.
ii. Secondary Schools – strengthen links with Crypt school sports department (use existing links via new coach, James King, old coach & Head of PE (Phil Stanlake) and Kev – PE teacher).
iii. Beaufort and Severn Vale – OC’s and Widden are the nearest rugby clubs to these schools – aim to get links with these schools. Possibly arrange a game between the 2 schools under floodlights to attract players to junior section (re John Conway 10 years ago).
iv. Kings School – renew links with Kings as they provided a number of players to the club in the past including a former club captain. Use ex-Kings pupils to create links to the school try attract players to youth set-up or following school.
b. Links to colleges - to increase players for current senior teams.
i. Oxtalls campus (University of Gloucester). This campus specialises in sports science so there must be a good number of players looking for rugby outside of varsity games. Can target those ‘on the fringes’ – not linked to other clubs. Could approach the University directly to request a link-up with the club.
ii. Another option is to advertise OC’s at the university and provide ‘free’ transport to/from the campus on training and playing days (club funds a minibus/taxi service – loss leader).
iii. Links to local companies e.g. C&G – strong sports and social club with no sports! Contacts include Brian Higgins. Nuclear Electric and Dowty are 2 others.
2. Maintain high standard of coaching and ensure continuity of coaching
a. Make sure sessions continue to be well structured and enjoyable
b. Back-up coaches - Nick Price filling-in worked well.
c. Consider re-instating indoor sessions in the winter to maintain training momentum.
d. Players to establish their own code of conduct (e.g. minimum attendance for training sessions, meet times, dress standards etc).
3. Keys for future Success
a. New Players = junior section and links to local organisations (above)
b. Pressure on first team players = new players
c. Good support = get more people on the side lines
4. Family connections – a good source of future players
a. Need to capitalise on this for the future – many 30 something ex and current players have kids – target them.
5. Tradition/Links to the past
a. Renew contact with ex-players – get them to come to the club more often (without needing to be a VP and pay for the pleasure – maybe they will rejoin later!)
Suggest an Ex-Captains reunion day/evening. Invite all known former captains (1st, 2nd, and 3rd team). Invite them to the club and former team mates – make presentations etc