Hello,
Mid-August and as we enjoy the cricket weather the club volunteers are busy making plans for the return of rugby and getting the clubhouse ready to go. Pre-season training is well underway for the senior sides and some youth groups. We are running some summer minis training on Friday evenings. Details of which age groups are on which week are on the website https://www.hoverugby.club/news/summer-minis-training-2720233.html. The bar is open and there is a pizza truck down so all members welcome to pop in and catch up with teammates and friends.

I know February and March feel a long way away but applications for the Six Nations tickets have opened, applications must be in by 26th August, details on how to apply are on the following link https://www.hoverugby.club/news/six-nations-2023--application-guidance-2716761.html

Thanks to all the volunteers who were at the club this weekend helping to dig and refill the trenches for the power cables for the new floodlights out on pitch 4. These are the removable lights we bought last year. Special thanks to Dom Henderson for sorting out the plans and working with Adam to get council sign off and to Stuart White for sourcing the machinery and manning the trench digger. The work on the pitches over the weekend did make it clear just how dry the pitches are. We have been in consultation with the RFU over the condition of the pitches and the RFU are continually reviewing the situation from a safety perspective including exploring the need to delay the season start to ensure the safety of players. All coaches should be making assessments of how to safely train on the pitches, and we will continue to work with the RFU on reviewing the conditions of the pitches. And also doing some rain dances to get some much-needed rain to revive the grass and soften up the ground.

New regulations on First Aid provision at training and matches have been introduced by the RFU with at least two first aiders in attendance for each age group. We are running a course on the 15th October with 12 places available. Contact Kevin O'Sullivan kev.sully@gmail.com for details. We will run another course if there is demand.

A reminder that all coaches and assistant coaches with the mini and youth section need a current DBS-check, the club guidance is on the website. https://www.hoverugby.club/news/dbs-guidance-updated-2717866.html if your DBS has lapsed, please take a look at the guidance and arrange for a renewal.

From the 2022-23 Season, all Club communication will be via Pitchero. Please check if you are signed up as a member of the club on the website, by clicking on JOIN on the front page and if not, please sign up as a Club Member. https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/hoverugbyfootballclub/signup. There is also an App that can be downloaded. Any enquiries should be addressed to clubhouse@hoverugby.club

Finally, one of our members Adrian is raising funds for the Lewis Moody foundation for youngsters and young adult with Brain cancer. They are going to Brazil to take part in a 10-night amazon survival trip with Lewis Moody and Tom Croft. Think the survival bit is the Amazonian jungle not the ex-players they are travelling with! If you would like to donate here is the link to their fundraising page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chieftainbeastie

#oneclub #Hove family
Geraldine