The new season is nearly upon us and I am sure that with the Friday touch rugby and your own personal fitness, you will be looking forward to a pre-season training programme which will aim to prepare you both physically and technically to enable the club to challenge in what will be a strong league and with us again aiming to win the County Cup.

I am pleased to confirm that both Tom Barlow and I have agreed to continue coaching for the new season, but Nick Adams will be moving to a new role as player / forwards coach at another club. I am sure you will be disappointed to lose someone of Nick’s calibre but Tom & I are currently looking into various options for the 2012-13 season to help us take things forward again. Josh Cartwright has agreed to captain the club which will be his second season in charge as we look to improve on last season.

There will be a players meeting on Tuesday 3rd July at Burton Rugby Club, Peel Croft starting promptly at 7.15pm. This will be followed by a short fitness session and all players will be expected to arrive changed or change at the club prior to the meeting. Please ensure that you bring trainers as well as boots as the ground is likely to be hard at that time of the year. Training will then revert back to Robert Sutton School for the seniors from Thursday 5th July 2012 and every Tuesday & Thursday until Mid-August.

At present I have organised several pre-season dates for your diaries which are outlined below:

Saturday 28th July Matlock Tens – 2 squads (Beer festival for those who do not class themselves as tens players!)

Saturday 11th August Derby V’s Burton – Senior Squad

Saturday 18th August Burton V’s Hinckley – Senior Squad

Saturday 25th August Fixture TBC (1st & A XV games)

The season’s league fixtures are now available on the club website League Fixtures so please take these fixtures down for your reference, but there are still some friendlies and also County Cup games to add which will be done as soon as Steve Harris is able to confirm these additional fixtures.

We have been trying to recruit new players and have a few potentially lined up and a lot coming through from the colts, however this can be greatly improved through your support. Please contact any local players, whatever their ability and age that you know who may be interested in playing again or joining Burton RFC. I have a poster that can be emailed if this would help and I am sure each of you has many contacts via Facebook and email. I am more than happy to follow up on any quality leads or please feel free to pass my email or phone number to any players who are interested.

We are constantly trying to improve what I feel is one of the best amateur clubs in the Country and to help us in this we would like your views to help the club move forward – if you haven’t already done so there is a short questionnaire which can be accessed through the following link. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YD8XHDL

If you have any questions or would like to chat prior to pre-season feel free to contact me on 07811 209 944, otherwise I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 3rd July and don’t forget your kit!

Yours sincerely

Steve

Steve Smith
Burton Head Coach
steve@castele.co.uk
07811 209 944