Huddersfield RFC reach another rugby milestone
OCT
Huddersfield was the birthplace of professional rugby in 1895 when a group of Northern Clubs split from the Rugby Football Union to form what later became the Rugby League.
The George Hotel has been a sporting landmark ever since, but now the town’s Rugby Union club is preparing to put down another milestone, this time in the 15-a-side game.
The Sunday morning cascade of youngsters on rugby clubs across the land has been part of the sporting landscape since time immemorial. It is hard to imagine that there weren’t kids in The George car park playing tag rugby while their dads were arguing over broken time payments.
But in reality, the massive groundswell of involvement that started as the junior/mini movement has only been operational since 1969. Or has it? That’s when Huddersfield RUFC launched their minis, but were they the first in the field?
The West Yorkshire club are wanting to trace fellow pioneers of the initiative that had youngsters as young as Under 8 flocking to clubs, with mums and dads in close attendance.
Huddersfield will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of their Mini-Junior Section next year and are wanting to find other clubs who were in the vanguard of the movement.
“It is widely held that the first such section in England was ours, founded in season 1969/70.” says Dave Beal, who is currently coaching the Under 10s at Lockwood Park. “This means that the section celebrates its ruby anniversary next season, which also happens to be the centenary of Huddersfield RUFC.
“To mark this occasion, we are hoping to hold our annual minis festival in 2010 as the Huddersfield RUFC Centenary Mini Festival and we would like to invite the seven clubs who next set up mini rugby teams in England. We feel that a festival involving the first eight clubs to get involved in mini rugby, would be the perfect way of marking the club's centenary.
“As fixtures for 2009/10 will be decided round about Christmas, we would like to be able to contact the relevant clubs as soon as possible to give them plenty of notice.”
Was your club one of the junior pioneers? If so, Dave Beal would love to hear from you on 01484 546190 or via email at dave9beal@msn.com
