The Eagles Nest Update: The return of community rugby.
By Pete Rainey – Club Treasurer
After what feels like a lifetime, we are finally going to be able to return to community rugby from 29 March. That means we can engage in restricted contact training, (excluding scrums and mauls), and play non-contact Ready4Rugby, O2 Touch and Tag rugby within the club and between other clubs. This is what the RFU call stage D1 on their Return to Rugby Roadmap. If you are interested in learning more about the roadmap you can find details on the RFU website.
While we cannot open all the clubhouse facilities yet, the seniors are resuming training on Tuesday evening (30 March) and the minis and juniors will be holding their first training sessions on Good Friday. As you would imagine the kids can’t wait to get back on the pitch. We asked the U13s what they were most looking forward to about it and you can see what they said in the video below.
O2 Touch
The return to rugby also means the return of O2 Touch from Wednesday 31 March at 7.30pm. For those of you who do not know, O2 Touch is a year-round, minimal contact, inclusive version of the game. With an emphasis on social fitness, music and pitch up and play activity it is a rugby format that is intended for everyone – so why not come down on Wednesday and give it a go?
Easter rugby camp
Also coming up is the Eagles Easter rugby camp. On 12 to 14 April the Eagles Head Coach Dan Leek will be leading a fun, covid secure games-based camp with different skills covered across the 3 days (9.30am to 3.00pm). It is aimed at Years 1-8, U6-U13, and costs £35 a day, with a 10% discount for Eagles Members and a Free Eagles camp T-shirt if you book for 2 days or more! Full details are on the Eagles website.
Volunteering
Effingham & Leatherhead RFC relies on volunteers – for coaching, first aid, management of teams and age groups and much more. Volunteering can be incredibly rewarding, and community sports clubs provide long-term benefits to physical and mental health, so please consider getting involved. There are loads of ways in which you can help, and at the moment we’re particularly looking for more people to get involved in coaching mini rugby.
If you’d like to find out more, please email : volunteering@eaglesrugby.club.
Parking at the clubhouse
Last year we had a long period when the car park was closed. This was because the charity that owns the grounds, Effingham Village Recreation Trust (EVRT), were worried about unauthorised vehicle access to the playing fields.
I’m pleased to say that EVRT have now installed new bollards which means the car park should be fully open when we return to rugby.
Crowdfunding
When I joined the management board as Treasurer last year the impact that COVID-19 was having on club finances was immediately apparent. Restrictions on opening the bar and running events has reduced our income and keeping the club covid safe has increased our costs.
That is why before Christmas we ran the clubs first ever crowdfunding campaign. I am really pleased to say that we reached our target of raising £5000 and I’d like to say a massive thank you to those who donated. The latest lockdown has meant that many people have not yet been able to collect the rewards they claimed, but I’m hoping people will be able to collect them on 11 and 18 April.
