The life of a St Peter’s player (aka The Rocks, after the quotation taken from Matthew 16:18 “And | say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” ) begins as a Pebble in the youngest age group of our mini/junior section and ends as a Fossil in our Krusaders vets team. We are proud to field teams in all the junior age groups from Under 6s up to Under 16 and Youth. We operate two senior sides and occasionally three when the sun is shining. Once again this year we hope to continue fixtures for some of our older Rocks—The Krusaders—one or two should be enough!
At the Rocks, the heart of the club remains with its members and families who continue to enjoy the warmth of the club on & off the field. The management committee of the club would like to thanks all its members, who devote so much of their time, both on and off the field to ensure the smooth running of the Club. It is only through the generosity of time and experience that the club continues to thrive. If you’ve never been a member of a rugby club then you have just taken your first steps to being part of something wondertul, perhaps for the next 20 years or so! If you have been a member of a rugby club before, welcome to the Rocks. And for all of you we hope this welcome pack will help you get the very most out of being a member
here.
We welcome everyone and we’re delighted you chose us. We are proud that St Peter’s is one of the oldest clubs in Wales and is a successful rugby club with a thriving Mini, Junior and Youth section and strong teams in every year group. The Club is well run, solvent and permanently just a little bit short of cash!
St Peter’s Rugby Club is your club. It doesn’t operate to make any profit; it is run by its members for its members, and every penny is reinvested in the club for your benefit. All members are equal, own a share of the club, have a say in its running and are protected under our limited company status (as recommended by the WRU). There are about 600 of us, so to ensure the club runs as smoothly as possible we elect a committee each year (you can find their details at the back of this pack in Appendix 3) who then plan and manage our volunteers, facilities and finances. It’s important to understand the club ethos and when you join the club you aren’t paying a subscription to leave your son or daughter at the gate on a Sunday morning. You become a member and are expected to share in the work and the fun in its fullest sense. Not everyone can give the same time but we ask you to do what you can. We believe you will get back much more than you put in, just ask around. You can find more information on Page 8, How can! support my club? It’s also important to know where your money goes. You may be surprised to learn that you are not paying for the Club to teach your son or daughter to play rugby. That is done by our wonderful team of coaches who are all volunteers. Your annual club membership fee goes to provide the facilities (the pitches and club house) we have here and their upkeep and also provide the training equipment, including floodlights and insurances. We don’t own our grounds unfortunately, they are owned by the council with a covenant that allows only rugby to be played here. Part of the agreement that allows us to lease the grounds means we are responsible for maintaining the playing fields which includes grass cutting, line marking and drainage. We do own all the facilities however and are constantly looking to improve them as well as maintain them in good condition. All of our players at any age MUST pay the annual club membership as detailed on the membership form at Appendix 2. Some age groups may also have a small weekly/monthly fee they ask parents to pay which goes towards additional kit, tours , parties etc.
Rugby has been played by St Peter’s since 1886 and we aim to provide a place where the community can come and play, watch and enjoy rugby for as many years as possible. There are 3 ‘sections’ in the club; Mini’s/Juniors, Youth and Seniors.
These include the age groups from under 6 (pebbles) through to under 11. At U6, 7 and 8 tag rugby is played with an emphasis on passing, scoring, movement and having fun. At under 9’s contact is carefully introduced with safety a key consideration at all times. All mini age groups play at the club on a Sunday morning between 10am and 12 noon in designated areas The whole mini section also visits other local clubs and welcomes them here on a regular basis so the girls and boys can play mini matches. Again the emphasis here is having fun. Towards the end of the season the whole minis section get the opportunity to go on tour. It is here both kids and parents alike are introduced to the fun and enjoyment that can only be had on rugby tour.
Juniors start at Under 12 when the players go into High School. At this age they will play 15 a side rugby on a full size pitch. It is also at U12 that our female players are required to join a female team.
These include age groups from under 17 through to under 19. It’s at this age boys start to play competitive rugby. They enter the league and play league as well as friendly fixtures throughout the season. This is the age when they will start training midweek as well as play on a Saturday afternoon , so no more early Sunday morning wake up calls after a late Saturday night celebrating another Welsh 6 Nations win!! Tours start to go a little farther afield and may even include visits to Europe.
St Peter’s run 3 senior sides currently; a lst XV which plays in the WRU Division 1 East Central League , a 2nd XV that play in the WRU East Conference League and we run an occasional vets team ‘The Krusaders’ for those over 35s or frustrated fathers who have recently hung up their boots !! Fixture details can be found on the club website and we welcome you, friends and family to watch the senior sides play on a Saturday afternoon for a small charge.
lf you’re new to the club, we recommend you don’t rush to buy the full St Peter’s rugby kit immediately; give your son or daughter a few weeks to make sure they are enjoying themselves. A playing jersey will be provided for the season and once they’ve settled in you can buy shorts and socks from the club shop which is open Sunday mornings. The kit is reasonably priced and it is important they wear the club kit; being a proud playing member of the club starts early. Your son and daughter will also need a gum shield and boots with kite marked rugby studs. Additional personal kit, such as track suits and all weather tops, are bulk ordered through the clubs supplier by each age group. Talk to your coach or manager about this. Layers are important
in the cold winter months. Nothing puts children off playing rugby like getting cold, so please make sure they come in warm clothing that can be removed as they warm up and added if they get cold. And please bring a water bottle and or a sports drink; hydration is very important even in the cold. Can we also ask you to take your empty boitles home with you; shredded plastic from the mower is sharp and can be dangerous. All other training kit (balls, cones, pads etc.) are supplied to your age group by the club. In addition, Youth and Senior players are required to wear a shirt and club tie on match days. ff you’re new to the club again talk to your age group.
It is often said that rugby “is a game for animals played by gentlemen” and being a rugby player defines you as a person the way no other sport can. One reason for that are rugby’s core values.
Teamwork is essential to our sport. We welcome all new team members and include all because working as a team enriches our lives. We play selflessly: working for the team, notfor ourselves alone, both on and off the field. We take pride in our team, rely on one another and understand that each player has a part to play. We speak out if our team or sport is threatened by inappropriate words or actions.
Mutual respect forms the basis of our sport. We hold in high esteem our sport, its values and traditions and earn the respect of others in the way we behave. We respect our match officials and accept our decisions. We respect opposition players and supporters. We value our coaches and those who run our clubs and treat clubhouses with consideration.
Enjoyment is the reason we play and support rugby union. We encourage players to enjoy training and playing. We use our sport to adopt a healthy lifestyle and build life skills. We safeguard our young players and help them have fun. We enjoy being part of a team and part of the rugby family.
Strong discipline underpins our sport. We ensure that our sport is one of controlled physical endeavour and that we are honest and fair. We obey the laws of the game which ensure an inclusive and exciting global game. We support our disciplinary system, which protects our sport and upholds its values. We observe the sport’s laws and regulations and report serious breaches.
Sportsmanship is the foundation upon which rugby union is built. We uphold the rugby tradition of camaraderie with teammates and opposition. We observe fair play both on and off the pitch and are generous in victory and dignified in defeat. We play to win but not at all costs and recognise both endeavour and achievement. We ensure that the wellbeing and development of individual players is central to all rugby activity. What does this mean to parents, players, spectators and coaches at St Peter’s? Well in short
You can find more details in Appendix 1 Our Code of Conduct.
As we said in the introduction, this is your club and the more you put into it the more you and your family will get out of it. Here are a number of ways you can contribute
And if you would like to contribute a little more time and energy then…
Volunteer to support the wider club. Volunteers who run our shop, kitchen, organise tours, arrange referees etc. are always happy to receive a helping hand.
6. All members of St Peter’s RFC who have a regular supervisory contact with children or a management responsibility for those working with children must undertake an WRU Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. It is a criminal offence to work with children unsupervised without such a check. Wondering whether you need a check? In short, if you are working with children or young people more than once per week or4 or more times in a 30 day period, you need a check. The CSO is responsible for ensuring that all club volunteers requiring DBS are carried
out on behalf of St Peter’s RFC.
7. St Peter’s RFC will ensure that all coaches, volunteers, and officials comply with the Safeguarding Best Practice Guidance as issued by the WRU. In summary, the following are NOT acceptable and will be treated seriously by the club and may result in disciplinary action being taken by the club or the WRU:
Players representing St Peters RFC and their respective parents/guardians will abide by the following Code of Conduct, taken from the WRU Code of Conduct.
Code of Conduct for Players |
Code of Conduct for Parents / Guardians |
Above all, do not use foul and abusive language or bad behaviour. |
Above all, do not use foul and abusive language or bad behaviour. |
Code of Conduct for Coaches |
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Above all, do not use foul and abusive language or bad behaviour. |
I agree for my family to abide by the rules and regulations within this document.
Parent/ Guardian Name (Print) ________________________________
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Sign:____________________
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Player Name (Print ) ________________________________________
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Sign:____________________
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Coach Name (Print )________________________________________
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Sign:____________________
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Club to retain one copy and one copy for parent /player
WRU Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk Policy