Starting a new rugby club an insane idea? Gippsland, Vic.

[en_force_er]

I understand what you're saying, but I'm unconvinced as to how it could work. At the secondary school I work at in Sale, we have almost 1000 kids. I reckon only a handful could tell me the names of the two professional rugby teams in Melbourne. Could they tell me their respective codes...unlikely.

For me, I'd rather continue to play masters grade for my old club in Melbourne rather than attempt to start a club in Gippsland that will attract little support or interest. Even if we got a team up, how many people will be willing to drive for hours every second week to play?

I understand how it looks like a momentus task, particularly the junior side of it, but there are clubs in all kinds of obsecure locations in Victoria. Places like Warrnambool, Puckpunyal, Deniliquin, and Cobram have clubs and they're even more obscure than Warragul, Latrobe Valley, Sale, or Bairnsdale (and they have much worse travel times).

Admittedly none of these clubs have junior set-ups but you'd be in a much better position to provide one based on your location. I've worked with some of the Vic privet schools and 80% of their players have no clue about rugby and pick it up on a hunch. As a teacher in a local school you'd be in a unique position to say to kids, why not give it a try? Or at least position posters and pamphlets around the joint.

 

[ellabroz]

I understand how it looks like a momentus task, particularly the junior side of it, but there are clubs in all kinds of obsecure locations in Victoria. Places like Warrnambool, Puckpunyal, Deniliquin, and Cobram have clubs and they're even more obscure than Warragul, Latrobe Valley, Sale, or Bairnsdale (and they have much worse travel times).

Admittedly none of these clubs have junior set-ups but you'd be in a much better position to provide one based on your location. I've worked with some of the Vic privet schools and 80% of their players have no clue about rugby and pick it up on a hunch. As a teacher in a local school you'd be in a unique position to say to kids, why not give it a try? Or at least position posters and pamphlets around the joint.

I have a plan in place to introduce rugby at my school. Once school AFL is over (start of term 3), myself and another teacher will be starting a sevens program for Year 7 & 8 boys. We will have training once a week culminating in a round robin tournament against other local schools that have indicated an interest.

The VRU and Rebel Rugby staff have indicated their support also to run some clinics and the tournament in Term 4. Hopefully, this will work out and spark some interest.

A club, I think, is a step further

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Nah, defo Trafalger. Quite the small town, just out of Warrugul

 

[en_force_er]

I have a plan in place to introduce rugby at my school. Once school AFL is over (start of term 3), myself and another teacher will be starting a sevens program for Year 7 & 8 boys. We will have training once a week culminating in a round robin tournament against other local schools that have indicated an interest.

The VRU and Rebel Rugby staff have indicated their support also to run some clinics and the tournament in Term 4. Hopefully, this will work out and spark some interest.

A club, I think, is a step further

Congrats that's a great first step!

I think a club can't be viewed as a step further or a step back, I do however think a club would be more advantageous to Vic junior rugby. This is due to school football presumably midweek and club rugby on a Saturday, interested kids could easily play both rather than having to work around football. Also, they'd be playing more rugby.

If I was personally running this I'd let school rugby run for a year then try to start a club by getting in touch with each kid involved individually.

 

[ellabroz]

Nah, defo Trafalger. Quite the small town, just out of Warrugul

Trafalgar makes Traralgon look like Paris. I'm surprised your flat mates could tolerate F1! They probably though bringing the V8s to the UK was a great idea.

 

[ellabroz]

Congrats that's a great first step!

I think a club can't be viewed as a step further or a step back, I do however think a club would be more advantageous to Vic junior rugby. This is due to school football presumably midweek and club rugby on a Saturday, interested kids could easily play both rather than having to work around football. Also, they'd be playing more rugby.

If I was personally running this I'd let school rugby run for a year then try to start a club by getting in touch with each kid involved individually.

Thanks. I think small steps are best. Before even thinking about a club, introducing the sport and playing during school time is necessary. However, we don't have a regular allotted time for inter school sport as we compete in the School Sport Victoria program. I could easily devote 1000+ words to the problems with SSV.

I'll be happy if by the end of the year we can run a tournament with 8 teams playing 7s. It's a start.

 

[en_force_er]

Thanks. I think small steps are best. Before even thinking about a club, introducing the sport and playing during school time is necessary. However, we don't have a regular allotted time for inter school sport as we compete in the School Sport Victoria program. I could easily devote 1000+ words to the problems with SSV.

I'll be happy if by the end of the year we can run a tournament with 8 teams playing 7s. It's a start.

Good call and it's a good start.

Look into Active Afterschool Care as well, they'll pay a teacher like you pretty handsomely for just rocking up at a primary school at 4-5pm and running incredibly basic drills for mostly years Prep to 3. If you want the region to be in a place to start a club in 2 or 3 years it's about doing heaps of little things.

Other ideas might be a semi-organised game of pick-up touch on a Monday night in the Summer, or organising a particular pub as a meet-up point for local rugby buffs in the area.

 

[wilful]

ellabroz, you must be at Gippsland Grammar? In a few more years my boys will be going to St Pauls Warragul and I will be doing what I can to try and get sevens going. Hopefully you'll be having some success!

In the meantime, it'll be footy

not that I'm anti footy, I like the game. Just not nearly as much.

 

[kronic]

It's probably too late, but look at the Sevens comps during the start of the year, VRU 10s. Maybe even hosting a Gippsland 10s!

This is all under the provision, the VRU don't state you'll end up "culling" Endeavour Hills or some rubbish.

 

[en_force_er]

It's probably too late, but look at the Sevens comps during the start of the year, VRU 10s. Maybe even hosting a Gippsland 10s!

This is all under the provision, the VRU don't state you'll end up "culling" Endeavour Hills or some rubbish.

To me an ideal premier rugby model would see each premier club affiliated with 2 junior clubs. A Gippsland club wouldn't need to be competition, it would be help.

It'd be fine for this hypothetical Gippsland club to start a seniors, but there'd be an understanding that if an elite athlete rocked up they'd be pointed Endeavors' way.

But you're right, who knows what ruling would be made on this.

 

[ellabroz]

ellabroz, you must be at Gippsland Grammar? In a few more years my boys will be going to St Pauls Warragul and I will be doing what I can to try and get sevens going. Hopefully you'll be having some success!

In the meantime, it'll be footy
not that I'm anti footy, I like the game. Just not nearly as much.

I'm at Catholic College Sale. We're well known as a football school to the point where some parents send their sons here because of it.

I'm hopeful of starting something up in terms of a Gippsland based competition held outside of the traditional football season, similar to the A-League's scheduling. I think this is the way to go as a regular winter home and away competition simply will not work in this part of the world. However, I'm confident that Term 4 could become known in Gippsland as rugby season.

As for living in Warragul and playing rugby, I'd bite the bullet and play at Endeavour Hills. It's only a 1 hour drive. Quality coaching, playing with other kids who know what they are doing, existing administration. Much better than starting your own club.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Trafalgar makes Traralgon look like Paris. I'm surprised your flat mates could tolerate F1! They probably though bringing the V8s to the UK was a great idea.

Haha. Nice one ellabroz, half a blink and you'd miss Trafalgar.

I'd echo the go to Endeavour Hills call. Its a hike but they are a good organized club. Have a number of friends that have or are playing there.

It might be worth going there for a season or so, learn the ways of the VRU and then venture out. You may even find a few families that also travel from Gippsland that want something closer to home.

 

[Waylon]

I live in West Gippsland, not the ends of the earth, a pretty civilised place really. Except that the nearest rugby club is Endeavour Hills, an hour or more drive away. Foolishly I have encouraged my boys to love rugby. I've told them that no good will come from this, that they live in footyville and should just get with the footy program, but they go to a Rebels game and see the little walla rugby kids runnign around at half time and demand to know why that can't be them.

So the only solution would be to start a club in west Gippsland (Warragul). But this would be just insane as a practical idea wouldn't it? I'm really just not the club president/founder kind of person. if there was a club in town I'd go along and do my bit as a clubman/parent, but I wouldn't be on the committee, I wouldn't be talking to the local Council and the VRU and all that. How hard would it be? I'd have to convince the Council to put up rugby sticks, I'd have to find a coach (couldn't be me), I'd have to beg the VRU for a grant for some gear, this really is a crazy idea isn't it? You'd have to be driven to think of it, you would really have to commit wouldn't you?

now if someone could only reply and say "hey i want to start a club in Warragul why don't you help", that would be full of win...

G'Day bloke

I live in a AFL heartland (sadly) aftyer growing up in rugby country. I live in southern WA where the locals don't even know the difference between the game played in heaven and the mungoes........or care.

We have a large expat community of Africans, Brits, kiwis and east coasters however.

3 years ago, I started a junior rugby club from putting one ad in the newspaper

Within 1 week I had put together under 8's (2 teams), under 10's (2 teams) under 11's, u13's u15's and u18's

I had played rugby but never coached. I had no idea what to do. I got second hand rugby jerseys off rugby WA and poured in a couple of grand of my own moneyy for gear and weekly BBQ's

The kids have parents.............most of which want to be involved. I nominated coaches. Some of the ladies helped with organising. Within a month it had organised itself. There was an awful lot of b1tching about coaches, partly due to jealousy (kiwis always think they know best) and partly because out of desperation, I had appointed coaches who were willing but not competent..........but the kids were in teams, training. The kids were as happy as p1gs in sh1t but some of the parents were a pain in the @ss............particularly the kiwis who seemed to think it should have been a semi professional organisation within 3 weeks. There was a bit of moaning from parents which did my head in..........but kids were happy as bro.

I didn't think a lot about first aid. When I was a kid if you got hurt, you kept playing. These days they want a stretcher and a doctor and analgesics and bandages and an air lift in a helicopter if they skin their knee.

We had BBQ's. I tried to amalgamte cultures. I tried to get them to bring their BBQ's and eat and be merry and watch all the games we played. Some folk got into it.

The big problem was trying to find games as it is an AFL heartland. Within an hours drive there were two other clubs that were sort of clubs but because there was regular games they were able to attract more players.

I did a lot of the initial work but people who knew what they are doing quickly took over.

I took a few risks with liability. The kids got registered and insured but every week kids would turn up who hadn't registered and the parents would say, yeah next week bro. I let it slide because we needed numbers but I could have been in a world of sh1t if someone got hurt.

I wouldn't say I had the greatest of times but because of me a club was born. They now have a very successful club with a website, sponsors, jerseys. They have played junior fixtures at Force home games and the club has exploded with numbers. Someone just has to get off their duff.

You will need teams to play against for it to work however.

 

[themickad]

I'm very interested in starting a club in the Warragul area. I think somewhere like the Warragul to say Moe area would be a good place for a club. I have friends that all say the same thing. I've never played any rugby before, But am a massive fan of the sport. Played alot of aussie rules football. keep this thread going, and let see if we can't come up with something. I'm willing to travel for games and training. Warragul is pretty central location for people from pakenham to morwell and surrounds, plus the number of sporting venues that could get us a home ground.

I know the baw baw shire is very active to local sport, I'm willing to help do the hard work to get a club going with help...

 

[themickad]

and yes travel can be an issue, But i know a local soccer club here gets a team bus, that maybe cost them $20 each for the day to hire. could sovle a common problem for game days

 

[ellabroz]

I'm very interested in starting a club in the Warragul area. I think somewhere like the Warragul to say Moe area would be a good place for a club. I have friends that all say the same thing. I've never played any rugby before, But am a massive fan of the sport. Played alot of aussie rules football. keep this thread going, and let see if we can't come up with something. I'm willing to travel for games and training. Warragul is pretty central location for people from pakenham to morwell and surrounds, plus the number of sporting venues that could get us a home ground.

I know the baw baw shire is very active to local sport, I'm willing to help do the hard work to get a club going with help...

I reckon the Latrobe Valley is more of a central point for all of Gippsland. Roughly equal distance from Sale, Leongatha, Warragul, Maffra, etc. People in Pakenham or near would probably play for Endeavour Hills.

There's a ground in Morwell with rugby posts currently used by the gridiron club. They started last year and had a few articles in the Latrobe Valley local newspaper. I'm keen if others are interested...

 

[en_force_er]

Make it happen!!! Also, I doubt the VRU would let you start one too close to Endeavour Hills, they wouldn't want you cannibalising each other's playing stocks.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

G'Day bloke

I live in a AFL heartland (sadly) aftyer growing up in rugby country. I live in southern WA where the locals don't even know the difference between the game played in heaven and the mungoes........or care.

We have a large expat community of Africans, Brits, kiwis and east coasters however.

3 years ago, I started a junior rugby club from putting one ad in the newspaper

Within 1 week I had put together under 8's (2 teams), under 10's (2 teams) under 11's, u13's u15's and u18's

I had played rugby but never coached. I had no idea what to do. I got second hand rugby jerseys off rugby WA and poured in a couple of grand of my own moneyy for gear and weekly BBQ's

The kids have parents.............most of which want to be involved. I nominated coaches. Some of the ladies helped with organising. Within a month it had organised itself. There was an awful lot of b1tching about coaches, partly due to jealousy (kiwis always think they know best) and partly because out of desperation, I had appointed coaches who were willing but not competent..........but the kids were in teams, training. The kids were as happy as p1gs in sh1t but some of the parents were a pain in the @ss............particularly the kiwis who seemed to think it should have been a semi professional organisation within 3 weeks. There was a bit of moaning from parents which did my head in..........but kids were happy as bro.

I didn't think a lot about first aid. When I was a kid if you got hurt, you kept playing. These days they want a stretcher and a doctor and analgesics and bandages and an air lift in a helicopter if they skin their knee.

We had BBQ's. I tried to amalgamte cultures. I tried to get them to bring their BBQ's and eat and be merry and watch all the games we played. Some folk got into it.

The big problem was trying to find games as it is an AFL heartland. Within an hours drive there were two other clubs that were sort of clubs but because there was regular games they were able to attract more players.

I did a lot of the initial work but people who knew what they are doing quickly took over.

I took a few risks with liability. The kids got registered and insured but every week kids would turn up who hadn't registered and the parents would say, yeah next week bro. I let it slide because we needed numbers but I could have been in a world of sh1t if someone got hurt.

I wouldn't say I had the greatest of times but because of me a club was born. They now have a very successful club with a website, sponsors, jerseys. They have played junior fixtures at Force home games and the club has exploded with numbers. Someone just has to get off their duff.

You will need teams to play against for it to work however.

Busselton Jets?

 

[timmy nunn]

Mate I stumbled across this in google. I have just moved to morwell, gipsland. I know that myself and at least 3 other people will be looking for a rugby club closer to melb. I think you would be surprised how many ppl travel to melb to find a club.

 

[en_force_er]

Mate I stumbled across this in google. I have just moved to morwell, gipsland. I know that myself and at least 3 other people will be looking for a rugby club closer to melb. I think you would be surprised how many ppl travel to melb to find a club.

The season ends tomorrow. Advertise for a meeting of all interested parties at some local pub in a months time and you're good to go!

Also, it's looking likely EHills will be demoted so the VRU will be less concerned with their player base being eroded. This would be a great thing for Vic rugby.