Development Plan

Executive Summary

» Established in 1970, Warley RFC is an established club having sustained two senior teams and a veteran’s team with the 1st XV playing in the North Midlands league structure since the inception of league rugby. Currently they are in Midlands Six West (SW).

» The club had an intermittent record of junior participation but over the last three years has re-established a junior section. The section reflects the ethnicity of the area and is diverse. There are strong and growing links with local secondary and primary schools.

» The club has a 25 year lease on its club house and grounds, based in Oldbury. It is one of only two rugby clubs located within the Sandwell Borough of the West Midlands. Warley being based in the South. The other, Wednesbury RFC, being in the North. The club has strong links with the local community and the ground and clubhouse are used to stage other sports and community events. The other prevailing sport being soccer.

» Since acquiring the lease of its clubhouse in 2001, usage of the facility has grown steadily. In October 2006 turnover was such that it has been necessary to register for VAT.

» Currently there are age groups at U16’s, U14’s, U10’s and U9’s. The club is planning to add junior teams at each age group in addition to existing groups, year on year until all groups are covered from minis to Colts.

» The key to the sustainability of the junior programme is the recruitment of at least four coaches per year.

» The club has achieved the RFU “Seal of Approval” being signed off by the RFU in 2006.

» The club will target colleges and the local community to increase the senior playing strength from 75 to 120, junior playing strength from 80 – 200 and to seek to establish a female section.

» To accommodate this, an all weather training surface and additional changing rooms will support all sections of the club by allowing better quality and additional training sessions and improving the club environment in the winter evenings.

» A marketing plan will be developed both to contribute to player recruitment and to increase sponsorship opportunities to support both senior and junior development. The club has taken active local participation in the RFU ‘Goplayrugby’ scheme.

» The plan will require personnel skills, which may not be found within the club environment. To support the Development Plan, the club will seek to recruit a focus group, drawn from club and non-club personnel. This will be created to cover coaching, juniors, volunteer management, sponsorship, player recruitment and the addition of changing and all weather training facilities. The focus group will be answerable at each review to the existing management structure.