Andrew Hore and Paul Thorburn met with representatives from clubs across the region this week when they hosted a special presentation evening at the Liberty Stadium.
Aimed at outlining the rugby structure and development pathway that is being put in place at the region, and how the Ospreys are looking to work with the clubs to ensure a sustainable and successful rugby organisation, the presentation also dealt with the new club and player engagement programme that is currently being trialled, as well as commercial and marketing initiatives that are in place that can financially reward those clubs that are actively supporting the region.
A wide cross section of clubs were present at the meeting, where they heard Hore discuss the changes to the coaching structure this season, headed up by Director of Coaching Scot Johnson, with the emphasis on development from within. Hore outlined a structured pathway that has been put in place for the development of all coaches within Ospreylia, from coaches at community clubs undertaking a Tag Leaders Award, right the way through to young coaches at the Ospreys such as Filo Tiatia and Gruff Rees who are recent appointments to the coaching staff. He also explained how the Ospreys Community Rugby Development team are working hard in the region to build links with all 72 clubs, encouraging them to take advantage of the many forums and courses that are currently operated by the Coach Development Team.
Ospreys Team Logistics Manager, Dani Delamere, was next up, where she spoke about the Club and Player Engagement Programme, which is a new initiative aimed at encouraging clubs to make the most of player visits throughout the season, and ensuring that the engagement between the club and the player (region) is mutually beneficial. The programme will see players allocated to clubs in the region, with the Ospreys making a commitment to three player appearances per club each season, with the players available to provide coaching sessions or participate in events such as Q&A’s that add real value to the club/region relationship.
Finally, Strategic Development Manager Paul Thorburn took to the floor to discuss the many ways in which the Ospreys are able to work with their member clubs to provide much needed financial assistance while building support for the region. Initiatives such as the Matchday Ticketing programme, which provides both discounted tickets and a financial kick-back to the participating clubs, and the Kits for Clubs offer which has seen clubs in the region save thousands of pounds on subsidised, branded rugby kit featuring the Ospreys and RWE npower renewables logos as well as club branding, are already proving immensely popular, and Thorburn took the opportunity to expand on other schemes that it is hoped will have a similar impact.
After the formal presentations, attendees took the time to mingle with the Ospreys representatives and put their questions to them.
Speaking after the event, Andrew Hore said:
“It’s important that we take the chance to speak to the people involved in the game at club level as they are the lifeblood of the game in the region. We took the chance to outline some of things that we are doing here, some of which can hopefully have a huge, positive impact on the clubs themselves. We are also looking for their views about what we are doing and what they want from us, this isn’t just about us forcing something on them, we want to work together and build strong relationships. We hope that they will now be in a position to go back to their clubs better informed about what the Ospreys are trying to do to help them, and what they can do to help us, that is vitally important if we are going to achieve long term, sustainable success at the Ospreys.”
Chris Long, from Skewen RFC Junior Section said:
‘It was a very informative evening and well worth attending. It was interesting to see how the Ospreys are changing the way they operate, with a focus being put on the development of coaches right across the region, which will benefit the clubs who work with them in the long run. It was also fascinating to see the ways in which the Ospreys want to help the clubs financially, they’ve got initiatives in place that can earn a lot of money for clubs, some like Kits for Clubs and ticketing offers we were already aware of, but there are plenty of other ways they can help financially. I think everybody involved in rugby across the region wishes the Ospreys well, but those who were here tonight have actually seen how the clubs can really help them achieve their goals, while benefiting at the same time from their interaction with the region.”
For further information about club player appearances, please email Donna Lovell – donna.lovell@ospreysrugby.com
For further information about Kits for Clubs, please contact Simon Lloyd – simon.lloyd@ospreysrugby.com
For further information about club group ticket bookings and the benefits please contact Rhodri Well – rhodri.wells@ospreysrugby.com
For further information about special travel deals for your club with Veolia Transport, the Ospreys official travel partner, please contact colin.jones@veolia-transport.co.uk
For further information about the low-cost hire of the Ospreys range of interactive rugby inflatables, as seen at the Magners Supporters Village on a matchday, please email Paul Thorburn – paul.thorburn@ospreysrugby.com
For further information on how the Ospreys lottery can benefit your club please email lottery@ospreysrugby.com