I've been to see my lad play today and had a look to see the other results. Out of 15 fixtures in his age group, 11 were awarded as walkovers. These are cup games as well, so those 11 teams now out of not just this week, but a few other games as well without setting foot on the field. It's the same every week as well.
Speaking to the opposition coach, he said his team have played 7 home games in 3 years and haven't had to call off a single game due to the weather or covid. His aim is to get them to play 10 games this season and that he'll have to make a few of those up from friendlies. Pre covid there were games every week and about three cup competitions. By summer you were playing mid week to catch up any weather affected games. When you went to a club, they would be packed, with multiple pitches in use and multiple age groups playing. Now you're lucky to see more than one game going on at a time.
The professional clubs or the RFL are going to have to do something if this carries on as there just isn't the environment to develop players at the moment. They either need to step in and take players from the community clubs and each develop three or four squads per age group at town level, or get involved with the clubs more to ensure games are taking place. Or sort something via the funding, which incentivises clubs to get games on at each age group.
Joined: Jun 21 2003 Posts: 3356 Location: M27 but not part of the project !!
Not in my lads age group Folly Lane under 11's admitedly the season is fresh but we have played Waterhead (A) Widnes Halton (A) Wigan St.Cuthberts (A) Blackbrook (H) and last week should have played Heysham Atoms you guessed it (A) but they had some reason not to play so Pilkingtons kindly agreed to oppose us and they came here so we've had a full calendar.
The fans, the members, the people there.. from the day I stepped foot onto that field at the AJ Bell Stadium,I knew I would love that club for the rest of my life. "Jackson Hastings"..
Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.
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The Stupid Neither Forgive Nor Forget The Naive Forgive And Forget The Wise Forgive But Don't Forget
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One likes people much better when they're battered down by a prodigious siege of misfortune than when they triumph.
Salford red all over wrote:Not in my lads age group Folly Lane under 11's admitedly the season is fresh but we have played Waterhead (A) Widnes Halton (A) Wigan St.Cuthberts (A) Blackbrook (H) and last week should have played Heysham Atoms you guessed it (A) but they had some reason not to play so Pilkingtons kindly agreed to oppose us and they came here so we've had a full calendar.
My lad plays for Latchford U'11s, 3 games in to the season and all played, supposed to be two weeks off but we have organised midweek friendlies vs St Judes and Hindley.
Very rare we see a game called off for any reason other than weather, but I suspect that may change as the age groups get older?
Joined: Jan 15 2007 Posts: 11924 Location: Secret Hill Top Lair. V.2
Slightly off topic, but could anyone recommend a decent club in the Heaton (or surrounds) area of Bradford? I was at a relatives at the weekend, they have no knowledge of either code but their lad, who's nine is a really physical kid who would like to try rugby. From my very limited knowledge of junior clubs, the other lot seem way ahead around these parts but obviously I'm keen to encourage him down the route of TGG.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.
Alffi_7 wrote:My lad plays for Latchford U'11s, 3 games in to the season and all played, supposed to be two weeks off but we have organised midweek friendlies vs St Judes and Hindley.
Very rare we see a game called off for any reason other than weather, but I suspect that may change as the age groups get older?
Yeah possibly. Someone PMd to say referee shortages are causing a lot of it as teams won't play without an official ref beyond 12s/13s. Looking through the fixtures and there appears to already be 19 games off for this coming Sunday across the age groups by Wednesday and I'm sure there will be more by the weekend. Shocked me last weekend when it was Lancashire Cup round and about four out of fifteen fixtures actually got played at U16s and teams are getting to the quarters of cups without playing a game. It was the same at the end of last season, in our league there was a huge disparity in terms of games played across the league. Looking at it now there are leagues with teams who have played once or twice and teams who have played 5 games.
Saddened! wrote:I've been to see my lad play today and had a look to see the other results. Out of 15 fixtures in his age group, 11 were awarded as walkovers. These are cup games as well, so those 11 teams now out of not just this week, but a few other games as well without setting foot on the field. It's the same every week as well.
Speaking to the opposition coach, he said his team have played 7 home games in 3 years and haven't had to call off a single game due to the weather or covid. His aim is to get them to play 10 games this season and that he'll have to make a few of those up from friendlies. Pre covid there were games every week and about three cup competitions. By summer you were playing mid week to catch up any weather affected games. When you went to a club, they would be packed, with multiple pitches in use and multiple age groups playing. Now you're lucky to see more than one game going on at a time.
The professional clubs or the RFL are going to have to do something if this carries on as there just isn't the environment to develop players at the moment. They either need to step in and take players from the community clubs and each develop three or four squads per age group at town level, or get involved with the clubs more to ensure games are taking place. Or sort something via the funding, which incentivises clubs to get games on at each age group.
A lot of older junior sides struggled over the last couple of years even more than usual. It’s always tough anyway when they get to about 14 as many fall away from the game at that age but scholarships killed it as many of the SL clubs just wouldnt allow their scholarship players to play or even train. My lad ended up playing open age at 16. There’s very little support for the junior clubs.
Joined: Dec 22 2001 Posts: 31949 Location: The Corridor of Uncertainty
Sandro II Terrorista wrote:Slightly off topic, but could anyone recommend a decent club in the Heaton (or surrounds) area of Bradford? I was at a relatives at the weekend, they have no knowledge of either code but their lad, who's nine is a really physical kid who would like to try rugby. From my very limited knowledge of junior clubs, the other lot seem way ahead around these parts but obviously I'm keen to encourage him down the route of TGG.
The main club in Heaton is Bradford Salem RUFC. They've been around for years. It may be union but it's a friendly setup. As for League I'd say next nearest is probably Keighley Albion which isn't in Keighley but is based at Crossflatts, next to Bingley. They have a pretty thriving set up.
"If you start listening to the fans it won't be long before you're sitting with them," - Wayne Bennett.
Joined: Jan 15 2007 Posts: 11924 Location: Secret Hill Top Lair. V.2
Bullseye wrote:The main club in Heaton is Bradford Salem RUFC. They've been around for years. It may be union but it's a friendly setup. As for League I'd say next nearest is probably Keighley Albion which isn't in Keighley but is based at Crossflatts, next to Bingley. They have a pretty thriving set up.
Cheers, thanks for that, I'd been on Bradford Salem's website and they do run a load of teams. I'll have a look at Keighley Albion and let them know.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.
Sandro II Terrorista wrote:Slightly off topic, but could anyone recommend a decent club in the Heaton (or surrounds) area of Bradford? I was at a relatives at the weekend, they have no knowledge of either code but their lad, who's nine is a really physical kid who would like to try rugby. From my very limited knowledge of junior clubs, the other lot seem way ahead around these parts but obviously I'm keen to encourage him down the route of TGG.
Victoria Rangers is probably quite close, they play at eccleshill sports and social club. otherwise Queensbury isnt a million miles away, at least its on the right side of the city.
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