CARRICKFERGUS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
FOUNDED 1865
AFFILIATED TO THE IRISH RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION – ULSTER BRANCH
Grounds:
Hon. Secretary:
TOM SIMMS MEMORIAL PARK
WOODBURN ROAD
CARRICKFERGUS
CO ANTRIM
BT38 8HQ
Phone: 028 9335 1033
www.carrickfergusrfc.co.uk
Peter Luney
25A Dunronan Road
Magherafelt
BT45 7SY
Phone: 07768 492609 (M)
e-mail: [email protected]
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Dear Player,
LETTER FROM CLUB COACH 2013/14
Firstly I would like to welcome all new and existing players to the club
for the 2013/14 season. With some more young blood and also some
more experienced players joining from other clubs it promises to be a
very competitive year ahead, which can only be a good thing for all of us.
The coaching team this year will include the new face and ideas of
Johnny Cullen as backs coach and Neil Hanna stays on board as forwards
coach with both operating as player coaches, if selected to play. Neil
worked extremely hard to develop all players last year and will continue
to do so throughout the coming season. We welcome Johnny to the club
and look forward to him sharing with us his wealth of senior rugby
experience. We can look ahead to an exciting and hopefully rewarding
season for Carrickfergus Rugby Football Club, driven by a commitment
from players and coaches to developing every player to reach their
maximum potential consistently on game days.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Andrew Kinkaid on
his appointment as Club captain. Andy is excited about his appointment
this year and has seen many players come and go, after a decade of 1st
XV rugby under his belt. He is determined to see the club gain success
with our current crop of players and I am sure will have the full support
of all his team mates.
Currently all players should be working through the fitness programmes
that they received and should be readying themselves for the pre-season
that will be upon us soon. This season will see us continue with the many
new structures on and off the pitch and there will be more competition for
places which will result in all players being driven to perform week in
and week out to their very best.
Pre - season training will get up and running, pardon
the pun, at 7pm on Tuesday 23rd of July and continue
on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm with
Saturday sessions starting at 12.00 pm sharp
The actual training this year will be of a higher intensity again and very
physical throughout both pre-season and the season itself, as last year we
spent a lot of time putting structures and patterns into place. Remember
we must aim to train at a high level in order to play and perform to a high
standard in competitive fixtures.
Recruitment of new players is currently and continually ongoing to help
further strengthen the squad and the club. If you know of any players
interested please do not hesitate in making me aware.
As players and coaches we must continue to work hard for each other this
season and be committed to one another with our attitude to training and
how we prepare ourselves for match days. We are not a professional club
but that doesn’t mean we can’t adopt a professional mind set to
everything we do.
Mark Kidd, who for a decade has worked tirelessly along with his team of
coaches and managers within the youth section to continue the
development of players to the highest level. This year we will have a
number of youth players stepping up to the senior ranks having gone
through the Carrick Youth system which is the best in the country.
Congratulations to the entire youth section on what was yet another very
good season. Gary Hunter will take over the Community Rugby Officer
role which is vital in attracting young players into the youth section and I
would wish him every success in taking on the position this year.
I would also like to wish the ladies team another successful season in
2013/14 hopefully seeing more players joining the ranks and further
strengthening their squad which is growing steadily. This can only be
helped by their outstanding performances throughout the year which
culminated in winning the Ulster Development League.
Finally the objectives for this season are as follows.
1. Players show a continued commitment to training
2. Have a disciplined approached to your rugby on and off the pitch
3. Develop current skill levels through club training and their
personal training programme
4. Show honesty and consistency in their performances
5. Lastly all subs paid on time!
It’s time for us all to pull together and make strides towards gaining our
ultimate target of achieving promotion.
Warren McClean
Club Coach