8 minute read
The Italian Job — Strathallan Rugby Fundraising Dinner
Development THE ITALIAN JOB
IN MAY 2019, STRATHALLAN HELD A RUGBY FUNDRAISING DINNER TO SUPPORT THE 1ST XV RUGBY TEAM PRE-SEASON TOUR TO ITALY.
This along with other fundraising activity was organised by a committee of parents, alumni, pupils and the school with the intent to continue as a group into the future to help support rugby for many years to come.
Neil Campbell, parent, and a member of the fundraising committee explained:
“It’s a pleasure to be involved in the Rugby Fundraising Committee where lots of ideas are discussed around how to support Rugby at Strathallan. It is particularly pleasing to be part of a group involving the School, Parents and Alumni who all have the same objective in mind of furthering Rugby at the School. Many activities took place during the year including, the boys cycling, running, and rowing the distance from the school to Italy and a BBQ stall at sports day culminating in a dinner to support the V and VI Form Rugby Squads Tour of Italy.” We also asked Andrew Henderson, Director of Rugby at the school to tell us why they decided to take 50 young men to Italy. “Well they all love ice cream and pizza so Italy seemed the right choice!!
Well they do! but seriously it was for many reasons and one of the main ones was getting back into touring internationally.
We had enjoyed some great success with a couple of domestic tours to Loughborough and Preston so it was a natural progression to present the opportunity to travel further. The other desire for me was to have a rugby dinner to celebrate the game and help raise funds to support the players who wanted to tour. There are lots of moving parts to touring and a fundraising dinner was new territory. So a committee was pulled together which consisted of mainly parents, whose energy and ideas I give thanks for as nothing we did would have been possible without them, also Aileen Wilson, Alumni & External Relations Manager, who steadied the ship all the way through and steered the dinner to a resounding success.”
The dinner itself was held in the School Dining Hall, all decked out with marquee lining and decorated in the theme of the Italian/Scottish venture. Guests were piped into the event by the pupils going on tour and others escorted them in under umbrellas. The guest list included parents, Strathallians and friends of the School including former pupils and Scotland team players, Zander and Matt Fagerson, Jamie Ritchie, Murray McCallum and Josh Henderson who came back to support the night and were interviewed by Willie Allen onstage. The boys told lots of amusing stories and anecdotes about their time at the School – obvious fondness and gratitude for the opportunities they were offered at Strathallan. This was hugely enjoyed by all the guests, but none more so than the pupils listening at the back of the room.
Yamika Banda, Coach of the Rugby team told us:
“The Rugby fundraiser was an absolutely wonderful evening that demonstrated what is special about Strath. From the effort that went into the organisation to the way the pupils helped, the event showed what a special community we have. It was great fun and an exceptional celebration of the proud Rugby tradition we have. What was particularly special was to see the professional players who started out at Strathallan spend time with parents and pupils and hopefully this interaction helped them believe that they can reach their goals. The event also showcased how much our parent body are willing to support the school without any hesitation.”
During the evening one guest asked to buy the rugby ball that had been used to decorate the table and Matt, Zander, Jamie, Murray and Josh all signed it. This provided the catalyst for another 30 balls to be sold off in the same fashion, with the only issue being, running out of balls to sign. Willie Allen then hosted an incredibly successful silent auction, keeping up a great pace and entertaining guests along the way.
Anne Griffiths, another parent on the fundraising committee said, “It was such a happy evening, with a fabulous atmosphere generated by guests having a great time and the boys participating so positively. Their help and enthusiasm (and singing) highlighted the importance of supporting fundraising for their tour and for Rugby generally at Strathallan. Having a number of former pupils at the dinner who are now International Rugby players was the icing on the cake.”
We really had the best time. It was great to see the first XV getting involved to ensure that no one was left behind when they went to Italy.
What a night! Great company, food, entertainment, atmosphere, and a huge amount raised to support all that is Rugby at the School. There was lots to reflective positively on but for me a particular highlight of the evening was seeing and hearing current players, professional alumni rugby players, alumni and parents all interacting and having a great time underlining the strong sense of community there is at Strathallan. Thanks to all and looking forward to other events in the future.
At the end of the evening, two senior pupils entertained guests by singing several crowd pleasers including “That’s Amore”. The touring pupils then joined them on the stage for a rousing rendition of “Flower of Scotland” which got everyone to their feet.
After the dinner, the fundraising didn’t stop, players continued to carry out a number of initiatives including a run, row and cycle challenge. The boys ran the equivalent from Perth to Dover, rowed the channel and cycled from Calais to Venice. Bringing this challenge to the players started pulling them together as a team before they even left and in a fun way started getting them fitter! They also made and sold burgers at School Sports Day and ran their final lap together to complete the journey to Italy.
The tour took place in September 2019 and provided the boys with excellent pre-season preparation. As U16 and U18 teams they play in the top Scottish Schools Conference and being together as a group in a different country living, eating, training and being together had a magical effect on the players.
Firstly, in the mountains with breath-taking scenery and a bit of training at altitude really got the ball rolling. After a few days in the mountains they travelled south to the beach resort where they would be located for the remainder of the tour. They played two matches against very tenacious opposition providing great competition for both the U16 and U18 groups.
The performances from these matches definitely showed what being together had brought to these teams. The adventurous way they played brought a great sense of pride to the coaches and certainly demonstrated good signs for the season to come. The players that travelled out came back different people and improved as players; this is the magical effect of touring with teammates providing memories that will be remembered for many seasons to come.
Ed Anderson, ex Strathallian and a member of the fundraising committee summed up by saying:
“Rugby tours are a special part of any players career, and I was fortunate enough during my time at Strathallan to visit Narbonne in the South of France on three occasions and South America. These pre-season tours allow for the players to sharpen their skills and improve their fitness with valuable game time and training sessions. They also strengthen friendships and create memories that last a lifetime. I was therefore delighted to be part of the fundraising committee for the Italian tour and thoroughly enjoyed the fundraising dinner. On a personal level it was fantastic to catch up with old friends and see the planning culminate in raising a considerable amount. I’ve no doubt that this was the first of many future tours for the school and I like to give my thanks to those who supported the event by donating and supplying raffle prizes and attending the event.”
It has been great to be part of the fundraising committee, raising funds for both the Italian Rugby Tour and ongoing Rugby development at Strathallan. There were lots of other fundraising events throughout the term, but the Rugby dinner was the main event. There were so many highlights on the evening but seeing all the tour pupils helping out and being part of the evening itself was particularly special. The Strathallians’ who have gone on to be part of the Scotland and various professional teams, who returned to talk at the School for this evening was inspirational for this generation of players. I very much look forward to further Rugby fundraising events in the future.
