Mini-success

The minis have put out teams at all age-groups at tournaments at Biggar, North Berwick and Stew Mel.  The star performances have come from the P6s who have won all three un-defeated, playing some fantastic rugby, often against physically larger teams who are probably playing rugby 3 or 4 times a week at school. The P5s have followed close on their heels, winning at Biggar and being runners-up at Stew Mel, and the P7s also collected silver-ware at Biggar finishing runners-up.

This year, our P4 squad is all new players and coaches.  Its been a challenging start, with the team playing often playing against squads that have a year of rugby under their belt.  Its a sign of their peserverence that we now building a stronger squad,  with new players joining regularly.  A number of parents have now embarked on their formal coaching and referee'ing qualifications, and we're very grateful to the U16 players who helped for a few weeks, as well as our new RDO who's now also providing support.  

We welcome new players at all age-groups, but especially the P4s.  If anybody is interested in trying out rugby, please contact the relevant coach from our 'youth officials' website via email, and you'll be made very welcome.

Midi Updates

The S1s and S2s have both had fantastic starts to the season, winning all matches to-date.  The S2s squad has grown considerably, with several new players joining from a 'wider' catchment area.  Wiih healthy numbers at both age-groups, training has been very effective and enjoyable both at mid-week and sunday sessions.

In the Under 15 and Under 16 National Qualifying competitions, both 'Muir teams head their groups with 3 wins out of 3.  Whilst the S3's have accomplished this with some panache (98 points for, 3 against), the S2s have shown great resilience to with two of their games (BATS & Heriots) being very close, hard-fought matches.

Pathways

The summer Pathways session concluded with 8 players from the Under 15s and 13 from the Under 16s playing in their respective squads.  With two team representing Edinburgh at both age-groups, and with Edinburgh stretching from Linlithgow to Biggar, having approx 25% of the 4 squads from Boroughmuir is a real credit to the players.  Its also noticeable how the focussed training & playing has helped develop the players and they have brought this back to the wider squads.

Pathways has now kicked off the next sessoins.  At Under 16 level this means that an integrated squad of 40 (or so) has been selected from both the clubs and the schools to represent Edinburgh, and 'Muir have contributed 8 of this initial squad (http://www.scottishrugby.org/sru/community-rugby/club-rugby/edinburgh-and-district-rugby-union/edru-news-page.cfm?news_uuid=65E678AA-CB95-5485-E001-CFFB7C727AA0).

Next seasons U15 and U16s selection process also kicks off over the half-term, with a large group of S2 and S3 players involved in this.

Good luck to all the guys involved over the next week or so.

RDO

And we're pleased to announce that Ross Young has accepted the position of Youth Rugby Developement Officer. This is for an initial period of 6 months, and the objectives is to support the development of Youth Rugby at Boroughmuir. This will involve: helping coaching with the various age-groups; supporting fund-raising activites; supporting rugby in our catchment schools and building stronger links between the schools and the clubs.
 

May 2007

“To provide the opportunity for youth players, families and the local community to engage in sport and social activities centred around rugby and to enable life changing tours, events and education for all while ensuring that sport is fun for all.”

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Youth Rugby at Boroughmuir RFC to review the activities over the 2006/7 season and look forward to the coming year. I would like to start by congratulating all of the young people on their efforts over this season, those that have won games, been successful in their development as rugby players and those who have just commenced their involvement in rugby.

In our first full season back at Meggetland we faced some difficulties not least of which were finding enough pitches to play on! Overall it has been a good season for nearly all the age groups with lots of wins. Some of the high points include the mini-tournament on 6^th May where over 400 children took part in rugby in an all day event at the club and the outstanding success of our under 15 squad. As the end of the season approached we found that every team from P4 to U16s got a medal in one of their last 2 tournaments. The S3s continue to enjoy success in their pathways section, and we've got 4 boys in the two Edinburgh 7-aside teams for the Murrayfield tournament (more than any other club).  

Rugby of course does not “just happen”. It takes considerable effort and commitment from many people. I want to thank the coaches, their assistants, those that provide the catering, home baking, cleaning, fund raising, the parents who take their children to and from rugby and who turn up to support their children and the efforts of all at BRFC to provide a rugby opportunity for young people.

I must make special mention of those regular volunteers across the age groups (you all know who you are) who provide the catering for Youth Rugby Home fixtures – without you we would not only have gone hungry but broke too! It is thanks to your efforts that we have finished the season in relatively good financial health by comparison to where we were over the last couple of years.

I would also like to particularly thank the Directors of the Club for their continuous support in providing rugby for our young people. Much of what they do is not always immediately apparent but without them we would have no new facilities and little opportunity for our young people to play rugby. Providing youth rugby is a real team effort and you all have a part to play and the Youth Rugby committee would like to encourage you to continue supporting our young people over the coming season.

Meggetland

We have of course returned to Meggetland and are still getting to grips with the new facilities and should expect the challenges to continue for some time. We are of course grateful to Edinburgh Northern for the hospitality shown to us over several seasons and have expressed our gratitude in the form of some new rugby training aids donated to Edinburgh Northern. We are also in debt to the Military who kindly came to our assistance by allowing us use of their facilities at Dreghorn for part of the season. The new club facilities have a lot to offer, not just for young people but for all members. The premises are available for parties, functions, business use and of course exercise. The new Gym – Energy – is now open and you can find out more about the facilities by visiting the club website.

Financial Report

In return for the membership fees a number of benefits are delivered for Youth Rugby which incurs direct costs by BRFC and we are grateful for the support shown by the club. These costs include:

• Rental of the pitches and changing rooms at Meggetland

• Bus Hire to take youth players to away games

• Catering for Home Games

• Provision of Team Strips

• Provision of training equipment

Additionally a team of SRU qualified volunteer coaches provide training and playing opportunities 2 to 3 times a week giving of their time and paying for their own training courses. A range of volunteers also give freely of their time to arrange fixtures, provide catering and organise fundraising activities to enable individual age groups to go on tour and also to provide qualified first aid cover at home fixtures.

Membership

We are keen to increase the number of young people playing rugby and seek your help to promote BRFC amongst your friends, families and work colleagues. We are also keen for families to join the club and make use of the facilities and would ask you to consider the benefits of joining as a family. Membership details can be found on the club website.

We believe that the opportunities and facilities at BRFC represent excellent value for money and would ask you to consider how you could help either through joining as family members or through some other form of support to help further develop opportunities at BRFC for our young players.

We would ask you to ensure that you fill out your membership forms and send them in with your cheques to the club in plenty of time for the new season which starts in August.

2007/2008 Season

As we look forward to the coming season, after a well deserved rest, we can expect a further settling in period at Meggetland with new neighbours, closer involvement with other sports and developing an effective working relationship with the management of Meggetland from the City of Edinburgh Council. This will take patience and commitment from us all and would ask for your continued support in this. We are currently in discussion with Edinburgh Leisure regarding lets at Meggetland and will publish details of training times when we receive confirmation of the arrangements.

We hope to do much more in terms of fund raising in the coming season and we hope that you will feel able to participate in the ventures that we undertake on behalf of all age groups and that you will lend your support and offer your services.

The coming season presents lots of opportunities for young people to get involved and enjoy the whole of rugby, the sport, the friends, the social aspect but most of all just have loads of fun!

On behalf of all the team at BRFC I would like to thank you once again for your support over the last season and look forward to seeing you all at BRFC in the new season.

Roddy Gillies

Youth Rugby Chair

(On behalf of the BRFC Youth Rugby Committee 

May 2007 

May 2007

Organised rugby for the Youth Section has now finished for the season, and our first day back for the new season will be Sunday the 12th August at Meggetland.  

Over the next few weeks some age-groups will be running occasional training sessions, if you would like to join in to help prepare for next please contact one of the coaches for that age-group via email for details.

We will shortly be updating the Youth Website with contacts for next year, if in the meantime you have any questions please send them to webba1@uk.ibm.com  

Thanks

The mini's ran their first tournament at the 'new' Meggetland on Sunday, and this was the first tournament run by Boroughmuir for a number of years.  This meant that the organising team were doing everything from scratch, with nothing to fall back on, and it was down to their hard work that the whole event ran very successfully.

There were 8 teams in two groups of four at each age-group from P4 to P7, with the top two from each-group contesting semi-finals before the final. This meant that there were approx 350 young players enjoying themselves, and being impressed with the new facilities at Meggetland.  We had local visitors - Currie, Linlithgow, Portobello, together with teams from slightly further away Biggar and Perth, joined by teams from Marr (who's players were on the bus at 7.30am on Sunday morning). Home side privilege meant that we were able to field two teams at most age-groups, giving as many of our young players a competitive end to the season.

The group stages were spread over all 3 pitches, with the finals all being played on the first pitch in front of the stand.  There was a high standard of rugby across all the age-groups, with games keenly contested in (generally) a very good spirit. Even the very heavy, blustery, and cold showers couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the players and spectators.

In the finals the home sides were well represented with the scores at the various age-groups:

P 4

Boroughmuir Lions 7  Edinburgh Accies 2

P 5

Boroughmuir Saltires 10  Currie 6

P 6

Boroughmuir Lions 2 Marr 3

P 7

Marr 1 Currie 1 - (Marr won on number of tries scored throughout tournament).

The main organisers - David and Sandra Ladd and Clare Bartos - deserve a lot of thanks, but so too do all the volunteers from right across the club who made the day a success.  Whether that was in the planning, or the keen and willing referees, the folk who turned up at 8.30 to set out tables, and chairs, the people running the stalls and serving food, and even the guys from the Midi section who helped make our visitors feel at home before helping across many of the stalls.  A special thanks to Stan for opening the proceedings, and Ben and Greg for handing out the trophies after  the finals.

With this first success under our belts we can look forward to an even bigger and better end-of-season tournament next year.

BOROUGHMUIR RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED

 YOUTH SECTION

 CONSTITUTION

1.  Name

The name of the organisation shall be Boroughmuir Rugby Football Club Limited Youth Section hereinafter referred to as the ‘Youth Section’ is authorised by and operates under the aegis of Boroughmuir Rugby Football Club Limited (a Company limited by guarantee) (hereafter ‘BRFC’) to deal with all aspects of rugby and other sports for Under18 age children. This Constitution is effectively the remit from the Board of Directors of BRFC to enable the Youth Section so to operate 

2. Objectives

The Youth Section is established to pursue the following objectives:

1. Participation in the sport of rugby hereinafter referred to as the ‘sport’.
2. The organisation, management and development of rugby for all members of the Club.
3. Membership of appropriate leagues for the purpose of establishing regular competitive play for the club’s representative teams
4. The provision of training and playing facilities for its members.
5. Promoting and maintaining the highest standards of technical competence and safety in the sport.
6. Upholding the rules of the sport.
7. Providing equal opportunities for successful participation by all sections of the community.
8. The promotion of the sport.
9. To provide voluntary coaching, training and opportunities to participate in youth rugby within the rules of the Scottish Rugby Union for Under18 age children.

10. To encourage social and sporting participation in rugby and other appropriate sports.

3. Mission Statement

To provide the opportunity for youth players, families and the local community to engage in sport and social activities centred around rugby, and to enable life changing tours, events and education for all while ensuring that sport is fun for all.

4. Affiliation

The Club shall be affiliated to the Scottish Rugby Union. 

5. Membership

All members are subject to the Constitution of the Club and the regulations of the Scottish Rugby Union. 

1. Membership of the club is open to all individuals provided they comply with this Constitution.
2. No person shall be refused membership on the grounds of race, colour, creed, religion, sex, sexual preference, impairment or disability.
3. All applications for membership shall be accompanied by the appropriate annual membership fee, which shall thereafter be payable on demand.
4. Each fully paid up member shall be entitled to attend and vote at General or Annual General Meetings.
5. Fully paid up members may be elected and serve on the Management Committee.
6. Copies of the relevant Code of Conduct, a copy of the Club’s Child Protection Policy and a copy of the Constitution are available on the BRFC Youth Section Website.
7. Members shall be enrolled on one of the following categories: (Examples)

Membership means a member of BRFC, or a parent or guardian of a youth member representing a youth member if that parent or guardian is not a member. The roll of members is maintained by the Board of BRFC and the rights and duties of membership are governed by the Articles of Association of BRFC (Youth Members (therein called ‘Junior Members’) have no voice or vote in the management of BRFC nor any right or interest in the assets of BRFC nor any liability for the debts of BRFC)

Members of BRFC shall have applied on the appropriate application form and paid the subscription due prior to admission. The Youth Section Management Committee shall deal promptly with such applications and make such reports as are required by the BRFC Board. Membership is open to all and no application will be refused on other than reasonable grounds. There will be no discrimination on grounds of race, occupation, sex or religious, political or other opinion.

6. Suspension, Refusal or Termination of Membership

This will be in accordance with the BRFC Constitution.

7. General Meetings
1. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Youth Section AGM will be held annually normally in the month of May or otherwise as may be directed by the Chair of the Youth Section Management Committee. Not more than fifteen months may elapse between AGMs. At the AGM or any Special General Meeting which the Youth Section Management Committee may call (for all of which fourteen days notice shall suffice) a quorum shall be 5% of the membership involved with the Youth Section. Each such member present at any General Meeting shall be entitled to one vote. 

At Youth Section Management Committee meetings (which shall take place at least three times each year) three members present shall be a quorum. 

At all meetings whether General or committee no proxy voting shall be allowed and the Chair of any such meeting shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote. At each AGM the following business shall be conducted: 

                                                            i.            Receive and confirm the minutes of the previous AGM.

                                                           ii.            Presentation of the Youth Section financial accounts for the year.

                                                         iii.            Presentation of Youth Section projected financial situation for the forthcoming year, and the setting of all fees

                                                          iv.            Presentation of Chairpersons report.

                                                           v.            Election of officers to the management committee.

                                                          vi.            Any other business brought before the meeting which has been submitted in writing to the secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the chairperson 

Notice for an AGM shall be a minimum of 21 days.  

A quorum for an AGM shall be 4 members. 

2. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

An EGM may be called upon the written demand of:

                                                            i.            33% of the membership

                                                           ii.            The Chairperson

                                                         iii.            2/3 majority of the management committee

Notice for an EGM shall be of a minimum of fourteen days notice, and stating the business to be discussed.  

8. Rules for General Meetings
1. A minimum of twenty one days notice in writing shall be given to all members, except in the event of an EGM where the notice shall be a minimum of fourteen days.
2. The Chairperson, or in his/her absence a member selected by the meeting, will take the Chair
3. All members shall register with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.
4. Each member shall have one vote.
5. All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
6. The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote, or 3 such members, which ever is the smaller.

7. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions.

9. Election Of Officers To The Management Committee
1. The members of the management committee shall be drawn from the membership, as defined in clause 5 of this constitution.
2. Candidates shall be elected at the AGM, and shall be members of the management committee from the conclusion of that AGM until the conclusion of the following AGM.
3. All nominations of candidates for election shall: have the consent of the nominee and  be seconded.

4. Uncontested posts may be filled by nomination(s) and election at the AGM.

10. Members Of The Management Committee
1. The Management Committee shall consist of the following Officers:

The Youth Section Management Committee will not be remunerated, consisting as they do of unpaid volunteers. While individual age groups are empowered with the prior approval of the Youth Section Management Committee to engage in specific fundraising events for that age group they will be required to provide such records as the Youth Section Management Committee and the BRFC Board require of such fundraising. Otherwise the Youth Section Management Committee will distribute funds fairly and in the best interests of the Youth Section in pursuance of the Objectives.

In exercising their powers under this Constitution the Youth Section Management Committee acknowledge that they will not permit any activity which may adversely affect BRFC, nor will they borrow money or commit BRFC at law without the prior written approval of the Board of BRFC. Further the Youth Section Management Committee acknowledge that the BRFC Board can remove the Youth Section Management Committee or any member thereof temporarily or permanently without notice or compensation if this is in the best interests of BRFC. 

It shall be the responsibility of the Youth Section Management Committee to provide guidance to members on fundraising to include approved activity, constraints, coordination and purposes for which approved fundraising can take place. Such guidance is to provide direction, encouragement and support to the voluntary efforts of members to raise funds for the benefit of the children involved in the Youth Section. 

At the end of each year an Annual Report will be produced by the Youth Section Management Committee 

2. All the above shall be entitled to one vote each at General Meetings, except the Chair.
3. The committee may co-opt any member to any unfilled post until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of co-optees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the committee at that time.

4. The management committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with the matters of the club, until the conclusion of the following AGM. The proceedings of all such committees shall report to the management committee by a representative elected by that sub-committee.

11. Rules For The Management Committee
1. The Chairperson shall chair the meeting, or in his/her absence one of either the Secretary or Treasurer or a nominee from the committee in the event of all those mentioned being absent.
2. Fourteen days notice of any meeting of the management committee shall be given by the Secretary, except when:

                                                               i.            The date of the meeting had been agreed at the previous management meeting, in which case seven days notice shall be given.

                                                             ii.            In an emergency the Chairperson may call a meeting at four days notice. 

3. The quorum shall be four of those Officers entitled to vote, as listed at Rule 10. a)
4. All members of the management committee shall be entitled to vote.
5. All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.

6. Meetings shall be open to all members of the club.

12. Finance
1. The income and property of the Youth Section, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the club as set out in Rule 2, of this constitution.
2. The Youth Section shall have the power to raise money by fundraising activity.
3. All monies shall be lodged in a bank account in the name of the Youth Section.
4. The Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the club, of which two signatories shall be needed.
5. The financial year of the club shall run from April to May.

The Youth Section will maintain a Bank Account with a Bank approved by the Board of BRFC which account will record all income and expenditure. The accounts of the Youth Section will be made available to the Finance Director of BRFC to comply with the Companies Act.

13. Amendments to the Constitution

This Constitution may only be amended at a General Meeting called for the purpose for which at least fourteen days notice has been given and where both the Youth Section Management Committee and the BRFC Board have given prior approval to the amendment proposed. 

14. The Dissolution Of The Club.
1. Any resolution to dissolve the Youth Section may be passed at any General Meeting provided that:

                                                               i.            the terms of the proposed resolution are received by the Secretary at least forty two days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward, and that

                                                             ii.            at least twenty eight days of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the secretary to all members, and that

                                                            iii.            such a resolution shall receive the assent of two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.

In the event that it is decided at an appropriately called General Meeting of the Youth Section that the Youth Section is to be discontinued, any funds remaining after the settlement of any debts shall not be paid to the members of the Youth Section but they shall be made over to BRFC itself. 

15. Declaration

It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the Constitution of the Youth section of the Boroughmuir Rugby Football Club.

SIGNATURES