State of the Game : Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:38 pm  

I have had 35 years in the amateur game and think we are now at a vital crossroads. Lots of meetings, discussions, email surveys and the like are taking place.
There are many levels where there are issues and not one single answer and as this forum demonstrates, lots of opposition to any kind of expansion and development outside the M62.
Starting with summer, we have players at my club who have now reached open age and have never played a game in winter. All well and good as juniors, but as adults, the summer demands on volunteers are massive and are having a negative effect on team numbers and performances. Amateur game Saturday, Pro game Sunday. Too much.
Junior sides play in the Yorkshire Junior League and the perception from most is that the regulations on volunteers, coaches and managers is so great that it is having a negative effect. There is also the fact that they are a fining league who must raise somewhere around £20k per season. That does go along way to the secretary's five figure salary. Teams are folding at junior level as well as open age.
Not many years ago, the Pennine League had 100 teams, now they have 40, against that there is also the RFL run Yorkshire Men's League in summer.
It seems to be the desire to participate which has changed.

Wakefield and district has Sandal, Rodillians and Ossett at Union and their ranks are swollen. We have Eastmoor, Stanley, Crigg and Normanton club sides plus a mass of other single team pub and social club teams
I would really appreciate any input and ideas for the future of the game because the fact are simple, stop producing amateur players and the game dries up, and very quickly it will happen.

As it stands, junior sides and open age sides would technically finish fixtures at the end of September/ middle of October. Has anyone thought how clubs generate income for November, December, January and February?
thank you for any input.

Re: State of the Game : Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:14 pm  

Manuel wrote:

I have had 35 years in the amateur game and think we are now at a vital crossroads. Lots of meetings, discussions, email surveys and the like are taking place.
There are many levels where there are issues and not one single answer and as this forum demonstrates, lots of opposition to any kind of expansion and development outside the M62.
Starting with summer, we have players at my club who have now reached open age and have never played a game in winter. All well and good as juniors, but as adults, the summer demands on volunteers are massive and are having a negative effect on team numbers and performances. Amateur game Saturday, Pro game Sunday. Too much.
Junior sides play in the Yorkshire Junior League and the perception from most is that the regulations on volunteers, coaches and managers is so great that it is having a negative effect. There is also the fact that they are a fining league who must raise somewhere around £20k per season. That does go along way to the secretary's five figure salary. Teams are folding at junior level as well as open age.
Not many years ago, the Pennine League had 100 teams, now they have 40, against that there is also the RFL run Yorkshire Men's League in summer.
It seems to be the desire to participate which has changed.

Wakefield and district has Sandal, Rodillians and Ossett at Union and their ranks are swollen. We have Eastmoor, Stanley, Crigg and Normanton club sides plus a mass of other single team pub and social club teams
I would really appreciate any input and ideas for the future of the game because the fact are simple, stop producing amateur players and the game dries up, and very quickly it will happen.

As it stands, junior sides and open age sides would technically finish fixtures at the end of September/ middle of October. Has anyone thought how clubs generate income for November, December, January and February?
thank you for any input.

I think you should send this to the RL hierarchy who are mainly responsible for the decline of the amateur game. They are so hell bent on expanding the game (and let's face it have been for the past centuary!) that they have neglected the grass roots level and that as you highlight, has had a knock on effect.
RU has been far better managed than RL over the past decade and it clearly shows.

Re: State of the Game : Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:11 pm  

Cheers 1315. I suppose it is their job to expand the game.
BARLA is the dodo in the room. A waste of space.
One game, 2 bodies, same griping and issues after over 30 years. The RFL have taken over some of the amateur game administration, i.e. Yorkshire Men's League and some aspects were much better. This week, Gateshead beat Stanley Rangers 100-1, that is a shocker!
I am looking for any feedback from other clubs.

Re: State of the Game : Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:15 pm  

I know the RFU put on lots of workshops on how to attract and keep players at Union clubs, they also run tailored coaching programs over a couple of weeks at the said clubs to help encourage participation. The workshops were very good and seemed to help a lot of the clubs even if it was just to share good ideas for getting players down.

Re: State of the Game : Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:21 pm  

Big problem caused when clubs voted to play in Summer,