Striking Eagle

The title of this piece is not, as a few (very few) people may have assumed, a reference to my prowess on a Saturday afternoon when playing for the Colchester RFC 4ths but refers to the emblem of 16 Air Assault Brigade who recently held a reception / presentation to which my predecessor as President of Colchester RFC, Dave Wright, and myself were invited.

We gathered at the new Merville Barracks (what a fantastic development) along with various dignitaries and “worthies” from all circles of life in Colchester not quite certain what was in store (or indeed why we had been invited). I did, however, discover that trying to eat a large digestive biscuit whilst trying to hold a conversation with a local Councillor ranks pretty high up the list of “Social Gaffes.”

The evening turned into a marvellous presentation by the brigade of its role in Afghanistan and involved talks by the officers and an introduction to one of the patrols which was fully kitted out and included a  sniffer dog (itself a “Tae Kwon Do” expert) which had served in Helmand.

It was reinforced that the situation in Afghanistan was not “warfare” in the conventional sense but a multi-faceted campaign, not to return control of the country to its people, but to empower them to take back control for themselves. The aim is to do this by way of training the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police and creating “wiggle room” in which they could develop and learn to operate.

This has to be done without interfering with the established beliefs and culture of the inhabitants many of which differ vastly from our own.

For my part, the most interesting part of the evening was the post-presentation opportunity to talk informally to the officers and men (and woman!) of the unit. This confirmed what, personally, I already believed to be the case being that the Afghan campaign is being well served by dedicated and well trained soldiers who hold a sincere belief that the role they are playing is having a positive affect on that country and its people.

Indeed, as we know, many have lost their lives in this cause.

So, next time the “Fourth Estate” starts bleating about what a waste of time and money the Afghan campaign is, please join the queue behind me to smack them one.

(The evening was also used by DW and me as an opportunity to try and recruit some senior players for the club. I think we may have struck lucky with one gentleman but we are going to need some pretty quick lessons in Afrikaans.)

Unfortunately I did not get a chance to tell the Lady mayor my "Talking Duck" joke which I will just have to inflict upon her at a club lunch.  

                                 
From the sands of the Afghan plains and the might of the British military, we move on to the sands of Clacton-on-Sea and the might (or “might not”) of the British social rugby player

BEACH RUGBY

My thanks to Clacton RFC for staging yet another fantastic day of social rugby and for arranging some decent weather and refreshments.

Entitled the “Core Beach Rugby Festival” the event successfully reinforced the core values (“TREDS”) with a cracking rugby event. Yes there was till the odd mumpty who just “didn’t get it” but overall it was the sort of event that keeps the game in he right sort of limelight.

In fact, so impressed was at least one family of spectators that “Mum and Dad” have said that they will be bringing the kids along to Colchester RFC next season so that they can give the “game proper” a go. Result. (I tried to talk Mum and Dad into giving it ago as well. They didn’t immediately bite but the seeds have been sewn!)

The event combined teams comprising various combinations of men people, lady people, little people, large people and Sean Dodkins.

Great to see the Colchester girls / ladies feat. one John Vine whose fleetness of foot on the sand leads me to two possible conclusions:

1.    Rodders, the Colchester groundsman, is over-sanding the First XV pitch at Colchester or

2.    JV is half man and half dromedary.


Also having fun in the sun were teams from many other Colchester RFC age groups or, in some cases "aged” groups.

Maybe a team (or two, or three) from the Colchester senior squads could be put together for next year (hint, hint.)

Next item on the agenda is………..

CHAIRMAN FOR A DAY

In the absence of Club Chairman, John Powell, who was on a scouting mission (he claims) to Canada, yours truly fell victim to the Club constitution which mandates that the President shall chair the Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the real Chairman.

Goodo!

My main aim was to ensure that the meeting moved smoothly through the agenda so that we could all be home for cocoa and bed (or go clubbing) comparatively early.

Given this, forgetting my copy of the previous meeting’s minutes was, probably, not the most auspicious of starts but I managed to cadge a copy and we were under way.

My proposed agenda of “Apologies, Any Other Business, Home” didn’t quite happen but I still managed to steer the meeting to a 9.35pm close (after added time). This despite Mr Pritchard trying to "sex up" the accounts so that we would avoid becoming comatose before the end of the "Bar Takings Analysis." (Do we really get through that many Pork Scratchings?)       

Highlights of the meeting were:

1.    Playing with Stuarts balls (the numbered ones.)

2.    Increasing the Presidents stipend (another “nought” would have been nice but I suppose a tenner will have to do.)

3.    Consensus on allocating a not-inconsiderable sum to Mini / Midi kit procurement.

“3”is so important as to be unbelievable and reinforces the CRFC’s policy of investing in its youth sides. Clichéd it may sound but kids are the future of any club. By investing in youth from an early age, it is hoped to generate club loyalty which will see as many young players as possible remain with, or return to, the club as senior players at all levels.

It really is a no brainer or, as that sodding meerkat would say"Simples".

As JP is, now back from his jolly (having recruited two mounted policemen and a former lumberjack turned pole dancer) I am relegated to the back benches from where I shall continue to fight for freedom, justice, liberty and equality (as well as cheaper Lucozade.)

MINI / MIDI / YOUTH COMMITTEES

In both my “Presidential” and CSO capacities, I attended the inaugural meeting of the new Mini / Midi Committee led by Chairmen Mao, Borges and Pugh (not the one from Trumpton).

It has to be said that BB and RP have gotten off to a flier and I can see that the younger section of the club is in extremely good hands and heading in all the right directions. Yes there are problems to overcome but these problems are, as they say, good ones to have and we have in place the personnel who are best placed to deal with them.

The next meeting demanding my attendance was the initial gathering of the clans of the 2011 / 2012 Youth Section.

Ross “The Boss” Cowie led from the front and directed the meeting with such fluency and aplomb that before you could say “why has Mike Tindall landed himself with a Mother-in-Law who is the Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union” we had sorted out kit, training nights, fixtures and coaching staff.

Danny Johnston took us all through the Club’s proposed Coaching scheme which will involve greater involvement by the senior coaches and staff with the Youth and Mini / Midi set ups. Emerging talent will be identified and players will be mentored to ensure a smooth transition to and from Schools of Rugby, EPDG etc. This will benefit players and coaches alike. Danny has done a superb job in getting this programme under way and it will go a long way to ensuring that the club fulfils its commitment to providing a first rate rugby community at Colchester.

Ok that’s the serious bit so, moving on……….

AND FINALLY........

It seems that quite a few of the clubs players are  graduating / getting “ologies” etc etc.

Congratulations and best wishes to all who have completed degrees especially to Mr J McMillan who is more used to giving the “First Degree” than receiving one and to whom the phrase “passing out” takes on a whole new meaning

To those who are using Facebook:

1.    Feel free to be my “Friend” (everyone say “aaaaaah”) and

2.    Will somebody please post a translation of Damien “Supermodel” Brambley’s entries most of which would stump the code breakers of Bletchley Park.

In my capacity as the Club’s “CSO” (Child Safeguarding Officer) I shall have to spend some time over the next few weeks pawing over the RFU’s new Safeguarding Policy document and trying to integrate it into the Club’s existing policies which I will also be updating.

Alternatively, I could spend some time on a sun drenched Cypriot beach.

Pass the sun cream.

MP

29^th July 2011

P.S. Don’t forget for all the latest news from the Corridors of Power (and the RFU) tune in to Andrew Sarek’s Blog at

http://asarek.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/a-month-of-beach-rugby-touch-rugby-and-politics/