Last call for your old coats

Sophie Castle is collecting old coats for the charity Wrap-up London to support the homeless and those in desperate need for the final time this Sunday so please do bring them to the clubhouse where there will be a big box to put them in. We had a monster car-filling load donated last week so let's give this one last push please! Here's Tom from the under 9s to prove it!

As ever, please have a rummage for old kit.

A warm rugby player is a better rugby player!

Please dress your kids with lots of layers - better to take a layer off than be freezing cold. To help with this: Edwear, a charitable initiative from ex-Youth player Ed Dunford, have produced a new Wimbledon RFC beanie, which will be on sale at the club on Sunday (£20). The hats help raise funds for those suffering concussion in sport through the Headway charity. Read more about Headway here.

Pitch plan

This week the U15s have an away game at Chobham and the U10/11 are away at Sutton & Epsom. U18 Girls have a National Cup match at 12.30. Note for the U16s – you’re on Pitch 4 this week as the U18 girls are using Pitch 2 for their cup match.

PARKING: U7s; CAKES: U9s.

OLD COATS: Sophie Castle, our Safeguarding Officer, has very kindly partnered with Wrap Up London to supply coats for the homeless and those in need this winter. Could you please have a dig around at home and bring in any unwanted coats/jackets etc this Sunday.

BEANIES: Edwear, a charitable initiative from ex-Youth player Ed Dunford, have produced a new Wimbledon RFC beanie, which will be on sale at the club on Sunday (£20). The hats help raise funds for those suffering concussion in sport through the Headway charity.

Pitch plan

A busy day this Sunday with the u8s and u9s all away at Sutton & Epsom, and the u10s and u11s at Guildford for festivals.

We also welcome Sutton & Epsom and Guildford who are playing our u13 Girls; and the Colts face Esher at home.

There will be a pause at 11am for us all to pay our respects given that it's Remembrance Sunday.

Pitch plan

As the weather gets colder please make sure you wrap up the kids. A warm kid is a better rugby player!

New regulations now in force
The big news from this Sunday is that our kids can start training to the proper rules for their age groups. Especially for the under 9s, this means that they can start playing contact rugby. You can read all the regulations for each age group here. Remember, you can order a Wimbledon RFC-branded gum shield here.

We can run practice matches internally with the new rules from now. Matches against other clubs will continue to be played with the old regs until after Xmas. From January 2022 all rugby will be played to the proper regulations.

Date for your diary - Christmas party
Will be on Sunday 19th December 2021. Rest week on boxing day, then rugby returns on Sunday 2nd January 2022.

Pitch plan

UPDATE - 8am - MINIS RUGBY CANCELLED THIS MORNING (RAIN).

Youth rugby - please check emails from managers.

Pitch Plan (if anyone is playing)

Lots of rugby on this Sunday with most at home following a few weeks of festivals and matches. Welcome to Old Emanuel for your match.

We've updated our website banner and content to make it clearer that we welcome kids to come to Wimbledon Rugby Club from reception (under 5s) onwards. Please spread this message to your network.

Pitch Plan

More information: http://wmrfc.co.uk/inclusiverugby. Spread the word.

Apologies for the late posting.

Our adult boot camps are on (and growing in popularity). Sessions start at 9.45 and 11: https://www.wimbledoninthecommunity.com/book-a-class.

Half term camps start next week with booking encouraged to avoid disappointment: https://www.wimbledoninthecommunity.com/book-a-camp/summer-multi-sports-...

Following the huge success if last Sunday's minis festival it's all a bit calmer at Barham Road this week. That said, a number of age groups are on different pitches this week so check the pitch plan below.

Some of our U7 to U9s are away at Esher and some of our youth squads are away as well.

U6s (not U7s as per the map) are on cake-making and selling and the U9s are on parking.

Half-term sports camps
Don't forget our very popular half term sports camps are now available to book: https://www.wimbledoninthecommunity.com/book-a-camp/summer-multi-sports-...

Keep fit on Sunday mornings
Boot Camps back on again this Sunday. There are two sessions: 9.45-10.45 and 11-12. To book: https://www.wimbledoninthecommunity.com/book-a-class (turn up and pay is also available)

The pitch plan for Sunday

We're very excited to welcome over 1,000 kids to Wimbledon Rugby Football Club for our minis rugby festival this Sunday.

A big welcome to the 114 (!) teams playing this Sunday - another record-breaker.

We'll be open from 8.30am with bacon butties and coffees to kick-start your day. Referee briefings take pace by the relevant age group control tents at 9.30am and matches kick-off at 10am sharp. Please arrive early as we must start on time!

Parking

In short, you'll need to be an early-arriver to park in one of the two club carparks. A few permits have been issued for Inclusive Rugby players and visiting head coaches (only - and once the spaces are gone, they're gone, sorry). If you have a blue badge there will also be parking at the club, please show yours to the marshalls at the junction of Copse Hill and Barham Road.

Once the club's carparks are full you will need to park on the public roads (marked green on the map). The later you arrive the longer your walk will be to the club. When walking you might find Google Maps helpful to navigate your way to the clubhouse (type in Wimbledon Rugby Club or postcode SW20 0ET).

There will be parent volunteers in hi-viz to help make the parking as stress-free as possible. Please listen to any parking instructions you are given - and respect that everyone marshalling the parking are parent volunteers. Wimbledon RFC is situated in the middle of a residential area with some of the roads being private roads so if you are asked not to park somewhere, please listen. The same goes with cones, if you see a street with cones on, don't park there.

Anyone blocking access to homes or restricting ambulance access will be reported to the police.

If you need directions to Wimbledon Rugby Football Club click here

The programme for Sunday can be downloaded here and the fixtures for Sunday are here.

Here's the pitch plan - note: a larger copy of the pitch plan is in the programme, downloadable above.

A key message from Sophie Castle, Wimbledon's child safeguarding officer

Remember, everyone (parents, coaches and players alike) must observe the RFU rules and spirit of play...namely

1. Support positively and applaud good play (even if it's not your team!)
2. Respect officials and opposition players
3. Remember that children are playing to have fun
4. Behave as good role models on the touchline
5. Congratulate the opposition and make their supporters welcome.

Bad behaviour by players will not be tolerated
The London Society of Rugby Football Union Referees has announced a zero-tolerance approach to backchat and appealing from players during matches. This approach is wholly endorsed by Wimbledon RFC and all players should expect to be warned and then penalised for instances of arm waiving and backchat/challenging refereeing decisions during games.

Bad behaviour by parents will not be tolerated. I like this quote from Brian Moore
[Children] do not always recognise a general expression of disappointment and believe it is directed at them. Head shaking, rolling of the eyes, looking away, kicking the ground – any of these can discourage children, and exhortations like “come on” and “sort it out” are as practically useless from the touchline as they are on the pitch. Full article is here

Hope you enjoy the festival and remember TREDS

Teamwork • Respect • Enjoyment • Discipline • Sportsmanship