RAISING THEIR GAME

Sherborne Rfc Fundraising For The Future

The game of rugby football was introduced to Sherborne School in 1846 by Headmaster Charles Penrose, a keen sportsman and former pupil of Rugby School where the game originated in 1823 when William Webb Ellis ‘with a fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it.’ Sherborne School is known to have played a town side as early as 1868 and these links have carried through to the present Sherborne Rugby Football Club (founded in 1980), with exceptional coaching support provided over the years by the likes of Phil Jones, who later become Headmaster of Christ College Brecon (probably one of the best, if not the best rugby playing school in Wales), Mike Davis, who was capped sixteen times for England and coached the grand slam winning team in 1980, and David Scott, who coached the Club to become one of the top twelve clubs in the South of England outside the first-class game. More recently, Chris Smith, Sherborne School’s Director of Rugby (RFU Level 4), has both played and coached at the Club, in addition to Rhidian McGuire, a housemaster at Sherborne School, a Cambridge Blue and Welsh Under-18 rugby international, who plays and advises when he can. Today, Sherborne senior rugby is led by Ryan Hunt who, like Chris Smith, is RFU Level 4-qualified and has worked for Wasps RFC at the club and in the community. Ryan is supported by Tom Hopkins, a talented centre three-quarter who stopped playing at a young age because of recurring shoulder injuries.

The club has achieved tremendous success and attributes that to the energy, skill and enthusiasm of its many coaches. The club takes young children and coaches them in their age groups with great care, developing skills and making it good fun right through to the adult game. Some will play for the 1st XV but all will be playing the games on the basis of the rugby values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship.

We have been very successful at what we do and have had some brilliant players over the years with five ex-Sherborne players in the Rugby Premiership (Devoto, James, Lawday, Lockwood and Woolmore) this season and Sam Nixon playing in France – quite extraordinary for such a small town!

This summer the club is raising money to bring its clubhouse up-to-date. The membership today has grown to such a level that the clubhouse is no longer conducive for sustaining the numbers we have or supporting player growth, particularly for women and girls rugby. Whilst the clubhouse has served us well for more than 30 years, the toilets, kitchen and club room are too small, too cold and unable to meet the demands of a thriving club. Our plan is to move the existing kitchen and toilet facility, staying within the footprint of the existing building and to build in the areas that were previously used for storage.

We will build new toilets including a wheelchairaccessible facility. The new kitchen will enable us to serve up to 300 meals on a weekend and, by increasing the space within the club room by 40%, we will be able to provide seating so that the players can eat together with their opposition post-match and provide enough shelter on a cold and wet Sunday morning for our youngest members!

This project will help to ensure that the club continues to thrive, providing opportunities and appropriate facilities for all involved, as well as a welcoming space to our visitors and the local community. This project will help underpin the female game and serve as a catalyst for growth, demonstrating that Sherborne RFC is inclusive, progressive and equipped to promote this special part of our game.

Sherborne RFC champions the youth and coaches children from under six through to adults. Our project for change will transform and strengthen the club for generations to come. Working as a team and with the help of the Sherborne community, we will deliver new and sustainable facilities worthy of the commitment, dedication and camaraderie shown week in, week out, by our fantastic players, supporters and club volunteers. Thanks very much from everyone at Sherborne RFC!

‘Over many years, Sherborne RFC has provided thousands of young people in our community a focus, a purpose and a sense of belonging. Through rugby, young people develop key life skills: discipline, commitment, self-confidence, work ethic, leadership and teamwork; they learn how to win and how to lose. Having been an active member of Sherborne RFC for over 30 years, rugby has given me memories and friendships for life.’

James Gower, Deputy Headteacher, Gryphon School

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You can donate to Sherborne Rugby Club’s fundraiser at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/facilities-for-the-future. Your generous and gratefully received support will go a very long way.