Hope you’re all enjoying the summer with some rest in between a few games here and there ready for the start of the new season.

In this week’s bulletin we will cover off:

• Pre-season training date
• Fitness testing
• Tackle height presentation
• Spotlight on our Refs
• Other news

Training Date

Ahead of the league season starting we are arranging an in-person session on 20^th August. The session will be held at DK Rugby Club starting at 10am.

At the session we will look to cover the following:

10.00 – 11.30 – Fitness Session

12.00 – 14.30 Tackle height focus

The fitness session will provide an opportunity for those unable to attend those being run by Neil Reid-Warrilow to complete the Bronco test. The test will be run on the DK pitches. In addition to the bronco test we will also look at how to build / improve fitness as we approach the new season. Please wear suitable fitness clothing if attending this session.

At 12.00 we will look at the newly introduced tackle height laws and what this means for the community game, this will involve running through the presentation we held back in July along with answering any questions or concerns you may have. We will also cover all other areas of the game in preparation for the new season.

Lunch will be provided by the society, please register your attendance using the link below so that we can cater for the correct numbers:

Register your Attendance

If there is anything specific you would like to cover in addition to what’s been mentioned above please complete the form below and we will endeavour to fit this in:

Bronco Fitness Testing Sessions

As mentioned in our previous bulletin the society are holding bronco fitness sessions as followed:

Tuesday 15 August, 7.15pm @ DK Rugby Club

Sunday 20 August, 10.00am @ DK Rugby Club

Tuesday 29 August, 7.15pm @ Luctonians Rugby Club

Tackle Height Presentation

A few weeks ago we held a Tackle Height webinar, for those unable to attend the session you can download and watch the presentation by clicking this link. We will also run through the presentation at the training date on the 20 August.

Spotlight on our Refs

Julian along with Theo and his younger sister will also be refereeing at the European Championships in early August being held in France. We wish them all luck and look forward to an update and more pictures.

If any of our other referees have a story or pictures of games done over the summer please send them through to be included in future bulletins, please email me here.

Other News

Fitness Training – As mentioned in our previous bulletin Lewis Courtney is running fitness sessions held at Bromsgrove Rugby Club. This is an open invitation for all referees to join the session being run by an ex-Olympian to help build fitness. The next session is Wednesday 2 August starting at 7pm. You can join the What’s App group by clicking on this link. I’ve even heard that there is a social gathering afterwards involving free pizza ;-). Further details can be found on our Facebook Members page.

Afternoon All, as we approach the start of the new season we would like to invite all current referees to a Society Fitness Session / Test at DKRFC, DY6 0AW.

On the night we will be running the Bronco Test which is used by the Society in line with the grading scheme applied to our referees.

What is the ‘Bronco Test’

The society deem the following times acceptable in-line with referee levels as follows:

Never fear we are also a running a second session which will be held at Luctonians Rugby Club on Tuesday 29 August @ 7.15pm.

I need help with my Fitness

Never fear, a group of Society members meet up fortnightly on Wednesday at Bromsgrove Rugby club to work on fitness. The event is organised by Lewis Courtney and starts at 7pm with the next session on w/c 31 July – Check out details on the NMSRFR webpage. These sessions are coached by former winter Olympian Stu Benson and are great way for learning effective warm-ups, sprinting techniques and cool downs all which relate to refereeing. As well as being good for fitness it’s also pretty good for a catch up with fellow society members.

Tackle Height Laws

We would encourage all refs to attend an RFU led tackle height course. Keep an eye out for these over the coming weeks. There are also TackleSafe clinics being run nationally, they’re free and you can book your space via GMS.

Please also take the World Rugby laws test, RFU headcase concussion awareness course online, to have a current DBS and to take the RFU introduction to Safeguarding course online which is a prerequisite for getting your DBS. All RFU courses are free and are to be booked directly through GMS.

We are also in the process of getting the recording of the training session available for members, we will update when this is ready and how to download.

Last week I notified of training to be held tomorrow night, this will be held between 7pm – 8pm and is to be held through MS Teams.

The access details are found below or alternatively you can follow the instructions under the joining data:

Microsoft Teams meeting – Wednesday 5 July @ 7pm for 1 hour

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 339 360 022 681
Passcode: WSotHp

Download Teams | Join on the web

Alternate Joining Instructions – If you have any issues please send your email address and name using the form below and I can send the calendar invite out direct to you on email.

We will also record the session to share following the meeting

NB: Names and Emails will only be used for the purpose of sending the invite

What is the Development Squad

The Development Squad is there to help you improve your refereeing skills and to try to make you the best referee possible.

Once part of the Development Squad (DS) we would find a suitable coach that will work with you with the aim to develop your skills and fitness, putting the processes in place to enable you to implement what has been discussed both in-games and through regular meetings.

Applications are welcomed from any level of referee at any stage of their refereeing career.

What is Required?

The first part is a willingness to learn, improve and accept constructive feedback – the purpose of the DS is as the name says – Develop you into the best version of you when refereeing.

Notes and Videos will be taken of your games which will be reviewed both individually with your coach as well as with the wider development squad, these meetings are ran approximately every 6 weeks throughout the season.

What will you get?

As mentioned above each referee will have a coach offering feedback, development and fitness tips to grow into the best version of you. Strengths and weaknesses will be analysed with an actionable plan drawn up to build on these with progress tracked from game to game.

Referee performance will be discussed and presented in an open forum with other referees/coaches of the DS during the meetings.

How do I apply?

To apply you can either:

Send an email to Neil Reid-Warrilow – neil@pegasus-arenas.co.uk

Please include a short letter as to why you think you may be suitable for the DS, briefly outlining your experience to date, your ambitions, your strengths as a referee and your weaknesses.

Alternatively you can complete the form below which will be sent to Neil Reid-Warrilow:

ONLINE TRAINING SESSION – 5 JULY

If you have any questions prior to the session please drop in the form below and I can feed these to Neil / John in preparation.