Player Recruitment strategies in none traditional rugby league area

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

As a community club based just outside Bath we should have a huge potential to draw players from a fairly significant area around Bath & Wiltshire and after having a successful debut and founding season this year winning the West of England Grand Final, and League Cup we are considering how best to recruit new players?

 

Last season we had a good mix of the following:

- Local serving Army personnel - generally guys who have been brought up on the game 

- University of Bath - a couple of players from the University Bath Broncos team which have both been brought up on the game with some union converts, we hope to increase the number of recruits from this area next season

- Local rugby union converts from the following clubs (Trowbridge, Frome, Corsham, Pewsey, Colerne)

 

Last seasons recruitment was by lucky rather than any targeted strategy, we had a contact in the Army and at Bath Uni which help recruit from these areas but the recruitment from Union clubs was mainly in the first instance by seeing posters about the club or seeing news in the local paper.

 

Should Rugby Union club officials be approached direct or could this be counter productive?

 

We had circa 45 players registered last year, but keen to develop a 2nd team next season too.

 

Would welcome any advice/guidance from those who have tried and tested methods.

[TaxiEgg]

Why don t you consult with the NGB they have all the answers .

The fact that you find it necessary to canvass advice from this forum speaks volumes about the said NGB .

Perhaps you could ask the community board rep your league voted for for advice ?

[bowes]

As a community club based just outside Bath we should have a huge potential to draw players from a fairly significant area around Bath & Wiltshire and after having a successful debut and founding season this year winning the West of England Grand Final, and League Cup we are considering how best to recruit new players?

 

Last season we had a good mix of the following:

- Local serving Army personnel - generally guys who have been brought up on the game 

- University of Bath - a couple of players from the University Bath Broncos team which have both been brought up on the game with some union converts, we hope to increase the number of recruits from this area next season

- Local rugby union converts from the following clubs (Trowbridge, Frome, Corsham, Pewsey, Colerne)

 

Last seasons recruitment was by lucky rather than any targeted strategy, we had a contact in the Army and at Bath Uni which help recruit from these areas but the recruitment from Union clubs was mainly in the first instance by seeing posters about the club or seeing news in the local paper.

 

Should Rugby Union club officials be approached direct or could this be counter productive?

 

We had circa 45 players registered last year, but keen to develop a 2nd team next season too.

 

Would welcome any advice/guidance from those who have tried and tested methods.

It depends on which direction you want to take the club. It is a mistake to be too reliant on off season RU players unless you want to remain a 10 game season club forever (it is very hard to break the link once it sets in). Coventry Bears started out as mainly RU based and eventually things got stagnant, but then we brought in lots of students and things took off from there. Now if you can get RU players to convert to RL this is a very different story and to be encouraged, the 2nd team can also be used to give RU players a taster of the game

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

Excellent post Bowes, we are hoping to recruit more student players for 2016.

 

The RFL have been really supportive in terms of provision of ideas and recruitment tactics, I also have my own ideas. However, I thought there might be some gems out with community clubs that could be ground breaking if shared. Always happy to listen to ideas from anyone.

[JM2010]

What about local businesses, especially big companies. You could start by running touch rugby competitions and maybe organising 9 s competition for companies, student teams, local sports teams or anyone else who wants to organise a team to enter. You could then use these competitions to create awareness and interest in the club and sport and try recruit from this

[Bedford Roughyed]

Why don t you consult with the NGB they have all the answers .

The fact that you find it necessary to canvass advice from this forum speaks volumes about the said NGB .

Perhaps you could ask the community board rep your league voted for for advice ?

 

The mask slips off yet again.

[Bedford Roughyed]

We have employed various methods over the years, posters at RU clubs, gyms, Uni, pubs, etc.  Actively going to RU clubs to invite players.  Newspaper arcticles.  Website, etc.

 

The most successful method has been to get one player from a club down, then generally a few mates will follow.  

 

I think getting regular match reports in the paper helps.

 

No matter how much publicity you generate you will always find a random league player somewhere who will have no idea league was played 'round 'ere'.

[TaxiEgg]

The mask slips off yet again.

No need for a mask .

I speak as I find .

If you and others don't like it tough .

[TaxiEgg]

The best way to attract new players is to attract a new audience.

Start a Saturday morning club up of young children and introduce RL build from the bottom up , .

Chester Gladiators had a OA team and started a junior section and are going from strength to strength in a non RL area .

It works and does not need much funding just hard work and volunteers with a vision to promote and develop .

[gingerjon]

 

 

I think getting regular match reports in the paper helps.

 

This is the one thing I have any knowledge about and you're right.  They're also crying out for photos so send them a bunch of good ones.

[Bedford Roughyed]

This is the one thing I have any knowledge about and you're right.  They're also crying out for photos so send them a bunch of good ones.

 

General rule is that they will print anything you send them (provided its decently written!).  Local newspapers have minimum staff these days and no money for photographers.  Give it to them on a plate (ask about print deadlines) and they should print most things.

[mmp]

As a community club based just outside Bath we should have a huge potential to draw players from a fairly significant area around Bath & Wiltshire and after having a successful debut and founding season this year winning the West of England Grand Final, and League Cup we are considering how best to recruit new players?

 

Last season we had a good mix of the following:

- Local serving Army personnel - generally guys who have been brought up on the game 

- University of Bath - a couple of players from the University Bath Broncos team which have both been brought up on the game with some union converts, we hope to increase the number of recruits from this area next season

- Local rugby union converts from the following clubs (Trowbridge, Frome, Corsham, Pewsey, Colerne)

 

Last seasons recruitment was by lucky rather than any targeted strategy, we had a contact in the Army and at Bath Uni which help recruit from these areas but the recruitment from Union clubs was mainly in the first instance by seeing posters about the club or seeing news in the local paper.

 

Should Rugby Union club officials be approached direct or could this be counter productive?

 

We had circa 45 players registered last year, but keen to develop a 2nd team next season too.

 

Would welcome any advice/guidance from those who have tried and tested methods.

 

From experience at Bury (edge of heartlands):

 

We started without any engagement with the 2 RU clubs locally and developed a bit of a base. We then met with both RU clubs, explained our plans, and where we thought things might be complementary.

 

It got some good reactions, and some negative - reality is that there are some who will be positive, some who will not so don't waste your time on the latter (and as an aside, that applies to some in RL too).

 

As someone else has said - if you get a couple interested, more follow, so when a few give it a try make sure you give them a bit of attention. In Bury we have had first team RU players switch to only play RL, they dragged a few more down, and on a Saturday these days you might find the committee of one of the RU clubs watching the RL, or posting on Facebook in winter because they are a few players short. the same applies the other way. Have confidence in your RL product and you'll reap some rewards - not everyone will fancy it, but who cares.

 

My advice - be open to every opportunity as you don't know when you need a favour back...Bury RL have 'borrowed' a pitch from Bury RU on occasion when for whatever reason it's been needed. It's better to have that option than not so being friendly, and willing to work together is always the way to go.

[gingerjon]

General rule is that they will print anything you send them (provided its decently written!).  Local newspapers have minimum staff these days and no money for photographers.  Give it to them on a plate (ask about print deadlines) and they should print most things.

 

The thing about good photos is, for e.g. in the Hastings Obs they do this, they will often be used away from the report so they'll be above the scores/fixtures or next to a piece about local participation.

 

Also, take headshots of your team at the start of the season so any time someone's man of the match they get their mug in the paper.  Send those headshots to the paper properly labelled as well so they can use them should you send a story in without photos once in a while.

[bowes]

The best way to attract new players is to attract a new audience.

Start a Saturday morning club up of young children and introduce RL build from the bottom up , .

Chester Gladiators had a OA team and started a junior section and are going from strength to strength in a non RL area .

It works and does not need much funding just hard work and volunteers with a vision to promote and develop .

Sometimes doing things the wrong way round ends up helping in the long run. When I first started following Coventry Bears they had no juniors but shipped in half a dozen Aussies. Most of the Aussies drifted away or moved on to Sheffield and Swinton. But one of them played for us for about eight to ten seasons and coached the juniors for several of those years

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

The plan is for the league to start with a 9's competition in 2016

[LionelHurst]

Venue for the 9s?

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

Swindon, as per last year but held at the beginning of the season, possibly one other tbc, possibly the week before or after.