This is often the image associated with a busy Mini and Junior Ruby Club (and was the scene in Nuns last Sunday post training and matches) - :

However, this image doesn’t really capture the huge amount of work that goes into making this happen.
So, with the season fully underway, we thought we’d highlight the often unseen work that goes into a weekend of M&J rugby.

It all started a week ago when Andy A spent hours calculating the sizes and angles for each age group pitch and working out where they can go. Without this work, we wouldn’t be able to offer each age group their own allocated training and playing space. Then comes line marking: on Saturday Del, Andy A, Rich, Adrian and Matt spent over 5 hours lining pitches which allowed the U14s and U9s to have properly marked pitches on which to play, and allowed the other age groups to train on a fully marked pitch getting ready for when they play their matches.

Our cleaner, H, is up at 5:00 on Sunday morning and at the club at 5:45 to clean the clubhouse and changing rooms after the Saxons played on Saturday. This means our changing rooms and club are welcoming for players and families of all who enjoyed their matches on Sunday.

The kitchen staff led by Jason arrive around 7:45 to prepare food for the day (including the all important breakfasts).

Volunteers arrive from 8:30 to help set up the clubhouse and do last minute jobs.

Coaches start to arrive from 9:00 onwards. Sometimes they’re setting up the pitches for matches (for example checking that post protectors are up and flags in place), or getting kit ready for the particular session. On other times they’re doing some focussed coaching like Tommy who, on Sunday, led a session for the U11s’ half backs from 9:30. Others arrive to help set up for special occasions, like the Under 13s having their No1 kit set out for them to mark their transition from minis to juniors.

Refs arrive from around 9:00 to check pitches are properly set up and safety arrangements are in place so that games can proceed safely. Refs are an integral part of our game and respecting them and their efforts are an essential and welcome feature of the game. So we’d like to thank Dave for his work preparing for and reffing the U14s yesterday. We’d also like to thank Charlie who started his reffing journey yesterday with the U13s - you did a great job and we hope you’ll continue with this aspect of your rugby journey.

First aiders and safeguarding staff are mostly unseen (which is great) but their work is essential: attending training courses in evenings, obviously administering any necessary first aid, but then logging it and ensuring medical bags are properly stocked.

Then comes the work of the Team Manager, helping parents and players with Registration, membership and kit queries, fixture updates and availability.

This list ignores all the ongoing work that Tom and Department X do in maintaining the fabric of the grounds, electrics, water systems, etc.

Without this often unseen work we wouldn’t have a vibrant club providing safe and enjoyable rugby for all the kids and wouldn’t have scenes like the photo at the start!