Edel Curran, Chairperson 2020 - 2022 seasons
It has been an honour to lead the club once again this year. The RGU is a well-organised and structured club with sub-committees in place for the various activities both on and off the field, dedicated to keeping the wheels the turning.
We are blessed to have personnel within our Club with drive, experience, knowledge and a can-do attitude. I would like to pay tribute to our players of all age groups, managers, mentors, backroom staff, umpires, linesmen and referees; to the stewards, car park attendants, shop and catering assistants and the ever-faithful band of volunteers who give tirelessly of their time to make our club a better place for everyone. You are what makes the club, and your dedication to RGU is invaluable.
Whether you can offer one hour or ten hours, there are roles for everyone, and we continue to encourage and welcome new members and volunteers to get involved across all areas of the club.
Membership continues to grow, primarily within the female cohort, who are now fielding at u8, u10, u12, u14, u16, Minor & Senior grades. The Foireann system has undoubtedly assisted the administration of memberships, as well as removing paper-based registration, it enabled players/parents to register themselves and their children, as well as offering the opportunity to spread the cost of membership.
Thank you to the Coaching Committee for co-ordinating and communicating with mentors and teams as well as organising the various, well attended coaching sessions and workshops over the course of the season.
It is heartening to see so many youngsters pulling on the Hoops jersey. We must continue to instill in our children the importance of discipline and pride in representing their club.
Sadly, we had to formally speak to a number of players and parents several times this year. We have recognised an unacceptable level of verbal abuse from some adults and juvenile players, directed at mentors, referees and other volunteers. We must try and positively promote the Associations Mission, Vision & Values to make sure our club and clubs we visit, are places where everyone is treated with respect.
In addition to their own training and playing commitments this year, up to a dozen Senior Men were actively committed to mentoring Juvenile teams, signing the season off once again this year with the In-House Provincial Championship.
Although a young side themselves, we continue to see a number of the Senior Ladies get involved in Juvenile teams, something we encourage more of them to do in 2023. As the number of young female participants grow, the challenge lies with us as a club to grow the mentoring teams for these squads.
Generating financial support is vital to the survival of our club. Although commendable, the weekly lotto sales remain lower than the pre-pandemic levels. I encourage everyone to promote the sale of at least one ticket per week and thank all our members and supporters who continue to keep us afloat by purchasing tickets for the lotto and monthly Club Draw. It all adds up!
Those visiting Páirc Tomás Ruséil see positive change on an almost a daily basis by hard working committee members and volunteers. Major development has included:
Pitch Re-development
Trim Trail
Equipment & Toilet Block
Indoor & Outdoor Gym
Social Club Re-development
We also look forward to 2023, when our outdoor 4G pitch and basketball area will be complete.
Projects like these wouldn't be possible without time being dedicated to applying for funding from many sources, not to mention the in-house fundraising we ask of our members and supporters.
The club, like us all, is faced with an extraordinary hike in running costs, which will force us to revisit how we operate some areas of the club in the months ahead.
Throughout the year, the Ground & Facilities Committee continue to work tirelessly to ensure the complex maintains its tip-top condition. The upkeep and development at PTR never stops. The work they carry out is commendable, as without their dedication we wouldn’t enjoy the facility as it sits today. This is not seasonal work for our full-time volunteers and more helpers are always welcome.
As we strive to grow partnerships with the wider Downpatrick community groups, it is a joy to see so many people make use of the walking track at PTR.
The support of our sponsors is vital to the club and in return we must maximise publicity of that sponsorship. We all have a role to play in public relations, and particularly in these current times, it is important we support our sponsors.
I would also like to sincerely thank our Executive Committee and members of the various sub committees for the crucial role you play in the effective running of the club. These people have provided tremendous support, guidance and commitment to me throughout my three years as Chair, and I believe the band of volunteers will extend and grow into 2023 and beyond. It is easy to sit behind the scenes and at times, criticize. To those people, I urge you to get involved. Help shape the future of this great and historic club.
On behalf of the Club I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to any of our members who lost loved ones over the past year. Also in our thoughts and prayers are members and relations of our club who are unwell at present.
I wish you and your families a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year. Enjoy the break - the new season won’t be long coming round!
Go raibh maith agat
Edel O’Corrain