Team Elections Thursday -- Social Chair

Social Chair(s):

The Social Chair(s) are responsible for organizing the social reception following the conclusion of home games and are also responsible for planning and organizing a regular, weekly social hour(s). These individuals are responsible for the selection of the site of the reception and for the organizing of refreshments. These individuals work very closely with the Union's Treasurer to ensure that there are sufficient funds for refreshments so that OPSU/KRFU remains held in high regard by visiting clubs. If required, the social chair(s) will be responsible for seeing that match fees are collected. Social Chair reports to the Team Manager.

This is another role that's going to be easier than it sounds. We already have our home-game social-reception location reserved, so the Social Chair is mostly just responsible for being sure food is arranged and taken care of.

The Social Chair will be able to designate a Master of Ceremonies, which might be a role better served by a more socially active and boisterous member of the team.

Team Elections Thursday -- Match Secretary

Here's the role of Match Secretary:

The Match Secretary is the officer charged with the task of organizing the club’s game schedule for the Fall and Spring seasons. This individual must see that the schedule is published in advance of the season, and is responsible for coordinating with the opposing team's match secretaries, the Union's Executive Vice President, and the PNRFU/WYR liaison. This individual will be responsible for ensuring that visiting teams have directions to our home pitch. The Match Secretary will assist the Team Manager in arranging transportation to away matches. The Match Secretary is responsible for scheduling the athletic fields for home games. The Match Secretary is responsible for coordinating EMTs to be available for home games, and for arranging referees. The Match Secretary is responsible for keeping the MedKit stocked at all times. The Match Secretary works with and reports to the Team Manager. When necessary, and possible, the Match Secretary is responsible for coordinating changing facilities and/or lodging for visiting teams.

Since the Renegade's schedule is already set and we already have our fields reserved, the Match Secretary won't have to worry about those things this season. The most important thing for this individual to do will be to organize refs for our home matches, and coordinate with our opposing teams to ensure we have proper game times and locations.

We have players with experience doing these things already, but I highly encourage someone new to take up this role. You will get a lot of support and guidance from the team leadership, and this will expose you to the operations of KRFU and PNRFU in such a way that you'll be learning the things you need to eventually take on real leadership roles within the team and/or the Union.

Team Elections Thursday -- Grounds Keeper

Hey Rooks! This one's for you: Grounds Keeper.

The Grounds Keeper is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the preparation the athletic fields for home games -- insuring that the fields are properly marked in accordance with the Laws of the Game, and that flags, goal posts, sideline ropes, and cones are available. Grounds-Keeper reports to the Team Manager.

This one is easy and is an ideal role for a rookie. Does this mean you have to prep the field all by yourself? No. It means that you put together your own crew that does the work under your guidance. No one escapes rookiedom without knowing the proper marking and layout of the pitch (yes, there will be a test), and this is a great way to get to learn and memorize that setup. Senior players will be around to help out, and you'll not only gain a better understand of field prep, you'll become a better player because you'll immediately recognize where you should be during certain phases of play, and when your captain yells, "22 drop!," "center scrum!," "back 10!," etc.

Our rookie of the year last season (my rookie) was our Grounds Keeper.

Team Elections Thursday -- Team Manager

Team Manager is a really important role -- This is a role that's critical to the team's success and the overall experience that we, as players, have on and off the pitch.

The Team Manager, in conjunction with the team's Match Secretary, Grounds Keeper, Social Director, Captain(s) and Coach(es), is responsible for the team's equipment inventories, coordinating equipment acquisition and maintenance (including delegating jersey washing) responsibilities, and arranging or coordinating away-game travel. The Team Manager works with the Union's Vice President, and Treasurer to make purchasing decisions. Team Manager will most likely have the most contact with PNRFU (or WYR) and is responsible for maintaining a roster of active members and the team's cipp forms. Such a roster should be up-dated for each Executive Committe meeting and for club functions. The Team Manager is responsible for seeing that team dues are collected, and for seeing that the team contributes to it's share of the Union's fundraising activities. The Team Manager Answers to the Union's Vice President, and is your team's representative to the Union's Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Team Manager, like Team Captain, is a leadership role -- You are expected to "lead more than do." A good Team Manager is someone that has good communications skills and can effectively delegate and follow up on tasks. "Delegation" is key. Trying to handle all these responsibilities alone is no fun at all, but is quite manageable if you have the ability to give orders and keep an eye on the various deliverables.

As the team's representative to the Executive Committee, this position is potentially the most influential in ensuring your team gets the attention it needs. Keep in mind, while it looks like we only have the Renagades to worry about this season, come spring, KRFU may potentially be running several teams again, and it's important that you ensure your team is well represented.

Team Elections Thursday -- Captain

We'll be taking nominations for, and electing a primary team Captain on Thursday, Aug 27, after training. Here's the Captain's role:

The Captain(s) are responsible for, in conjunction with the Coach(es), organizing the practices and games as well as keeping attendance. The Captain(s) are the team leaders in regards to the scheduling of practices and ensuring that there is proper equipment for practices. The Captain(s) and Coach(es) are responsible for the selection process. The Captain(s) are the field captains in all game situations unless they are unable to play, in which case they shall appoint a temporary, on-field captain. It is recommended, but not required, that there be one backs captain and one forwards captain. The Captain(s) report and answer directly to the to coach(es).

That point about being, "field captains in all game situations," is really the most critical part of the captain's job. This is a leadership role -- if you are captain, you must be captain first. It requires consistency, communication skills, good judgment under pressure, and the ability to stick to the coach's game plan.

The captain needs to also keep, and help enforce, the team's goal's and priorities (that's that list we put up on the white-board during our pre-season meeting -- things like "stop bitching when things get tough," "start and end on time," etc.). The captain leads by example, maintains and supports the club's leadership hierarchy, and plays a crucial part in rookie development.

Picnic and Softball Saturday

Great training this week! It's awesome to have these numbers and this level of intensity -- lets keep up the efforts to bring out more new players!

This Saturday, 10 AM, we're getting together at Lions Field in Bremerton to play some softball and to finish up the burgers and dogs that we've got left over from fishbowl. Come on out and bring some beverages, softball mitts, etc.!

On Monday, we've got a Members Meeting at MoonDogs Too in Port Orchard. The meeting starts at 7 PM.

See you all at training next week. We will be having out team elections on Thursday. We'll be electing Captains, a Team Manager, Match Secretary, Grounds Keeper, and Social Chair.

Rugby backed by IOC board for 2016 Olympics

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FISHBOWL! This Saturday !!!

WHOOHOO! Saturday's a RUGBY DAY!

Fishbowl is this Saturday at Anderson Hill Field in Silverdale. If you haven't already, get your tickets in advance -- VIP ticket if you want to make sure we hold onto a t-shirt in your size.

The Fishbowl afterparty is at Brewski's in Bremerton, and for those of you coming from out of town, the Comfort Inn in Bremerton has offered us special rugby rate for the Fishbowl. Contact Jack Edwards at the Comfort Inn to get the special: 360-377-7666 ext 102

RENEGADES (men's 15's rugby -- ages 19 to 90):

1. Get your Fishbowl tickets in advance!
2. If you've played with the Renegades in the past, and you're thinking of playing this season, show up for our pre-season classroom meeting at PSNS at 6:30 pm, on Thursday, Aug 13. Meetup at the usual location.
   
3. New Players: Our first 2009 Fall Season training session, and Try-outs is Tuesday, Aug 18th. Everyone, all ages and skill levels, is welcome. Email to info@kitsaprugby.org with any questions.
   

ITS RUGBY TIME AGAIN!!!