Strathaven RFC Family Day

Hey folks,

I know the season is about to start but just thought I would share with you the events of the family day and the gala parade

Family Day First I think, the date had been set at the middle of the season and we all hoped it would be a nice sunny day and that it would help the club come together as a whole rather than separate groups that it sometimes feels like.

The mighty Mini’s YDO Cameron Clow had done it all again, he had organised and ordered the coaches and parent’s into what they would be doing on the day. Surprisingly again, now that I think about it and confirming it by looking at the schedule that he sent out, yet again he had missed himself of the rota like he had done at the Tournament and did his usual wandering and talking and making sure everything was running like clockwork, being a lazy bugger is what I call it personally. Ali Moon had yet again been drafted into organising the food side of things and of course Sylvia was again organising the bar and money and everything else that Cameron should have been doing instead. I mean he had even roped his wife Karen to be in charge of the tea tent. He had also said to us all that he had organised a local celebrity for doing the compering on the day so we were all excited to see who had arranged.

Well the morning of the 4th of June arrived and I looked out my window at 8 in the morning at the weather and saw the dark clouds and immediately swore at Cameron Clow as he had jinxed the weather again by saying it was going to be a sunny day in his mid-week email. I packed the car with everything for the Kit stall that me and Neil would be manning as well as various tools and extension leads and god knows what else I take with me just in case we need it. I had promised Grant McAra that I would be up early to help him with the bouncy castle that he had graciously given us for the day, but me at my best I turned up late and it was already up with the help of Sylvia and Barry Lamb. With my apologies made to Grant and the abuse received from Barry Lamb it was on with the rest of setup of the day.

We immediately started on setting up the tents, stalls, pitches etc. and before long all the coaches were there from all age groups I may say helping in whatever way they could to get everything ready. As me and Neil had been assigned the kit stall we started setting up and before long we realised that the two tables that we were going to use were not going to be enough and quickly got another two before someone else used them. His lordship came round to make sure we were coping ok and brought with him all the boots that he had hand washed himself for the table. We all started laughing and saying we wondered how many of the coaches or parents on the day would come past the stall and saying oh that’s my son or daughter’s kit there.

Surprisingly the first one to actually say it was the new Mini’s YDO Simon Cameron (am I allowed to announce that yet or hasn’t he accepted the post lol) only joking Simon. He was the first person to say that looks like my son’s stuff and after a quick check with his wife (the boss) it was in fact his son’s kit that he had seen. From that point we decided that no matter who said it they would need to donate or buy the kit before getting it back. One of the coaches (you know who you are) came over and pointed out that shouldn’t the kit be organised in size instead of the way it was (as it came out of the bags that I had packed them), I asked him if it was bothering him and he said not at all he was just happy knowing that it would be bothering me, he was politely told to go away and I went back to arranging the kit. I am going to miss that said coach and I’ve never had the chance to thank him for what he has done for me since I began, so from me to you I doff my hat and thank you very much for all that you have done for me (again you know who you are).

The other topic of conversation that morning was of course the much publicised Coaches Vs 1st XV game and what we were thinking about it. The expletives were amazing and surprisingly Cameron Clow’s name was mentioned numerous times in the conversation with the expletives before and after his name. Before long it was becoming aware that it was going to be a lovely sunny day and started getting warmer I apologised to Cameron Clow for taking his name in vain, we all checked with Andy Aitken to make sure he had his bunnet with him or the factor 50 at least just in case.

With everyone bursting a gut and working hard apart from El Jefe of course, I would call him by his other nickname but I have been informed that it is quite inappropriate and that some people might take offence to it. If you were lucky enough to get an email from him before he noticed that someone had doctored his normal footer/signature for the Mini’s YDO you will know the name I mean, if you didn’t get it the doctored version you can come to the Midi’s training in August and you will hear me shouting it at him lol.

Enough of that, before long everything was set or at least as set it was going to get and families and players started arriving for a good fun day. We were all waiting about anxiously waiting to see who the local celebrity was to get the day started, there was a silence as a tall dark figure walked towards the microphone, there was a gasp and then a round of “not him again” as it turned out that after his compering at the tournament (we had to prise the microphone from his hand) Simon turned out to be the local celebrity, we all felt cheated but thought what the hell it’s a nice day and the bar is open.

Simon was on the microphone where he belongs and the Family Day began, before long the demonstration games that had been arranged began. It was the turn of the Mini’s sides first and the different age groups took their turn showing the watching audience of family, friends and members what they have learned from the coaches over the last season and what they can actually do. Some of the older boys helped out the P1-3’s telling which way to go etc. or so they said they were, personally I think they were just wanting more game time lol (you know who you are). The same older boys managed to be on the pitch for the p4/5’s and the P6/7’s as well if I remember correctly. Then it was the turn of the Midi’s to show their flair and experience of the game, we started of the S1/2’s all the way up to the U18’s if I remember correctly, but that could be wrong. Throughout the demonstration games the coaches from the various age groups took their turn refereeing the different age groups and a big thankyou to them for their help.

I will apologise now if the sequence of the events goes a bit topsy turvy from now on but I can’t remember what order the events took place in I think it was time for the kids and adult races which the equipment was borrowed from a school’s gym equipment care of Mrs Clow. There were the old favourites the egg and spoon, the sack race amongst others then we had the javelin throw, which thank god was only the foam kind of javelin or we might have had some injuries. In each heat of the javelin throw there was a clear leader/cheater depends on what way you look at it, a certain Irish gentleman was the culprit and will remain nameless. There is one image that will stay with me for a long time and that is of Neil Wilson doing the sack race, it is fecking priceless, my apologies to Neil for taking the mickey and lucky for him I didn’t take a picture.

The main event was looming and we were wondering if the big touch match was going ahead as there didn’t seem to be enough players for the 1st XV side due to other engagements but in the end some of the U18’s were grabbed fighting and screaming to take part. By the time the match the coaches were raring to go, some more than others due to the fact that they had partaken in some light refreshments before the game. The game originally was going to be refereed by the club president Garry Tough but he insisted on playing instead so Tino was hoodwinked into refereeing. The game kicked off and gathered pace quite quickly, unfortunately it took some of the coaches by surprise, me being one of them as it takes us a wee bit longer to warm up than normal and also it’s the first game many of us had played in a very long time and in the case of Neil Wilson and Eddie Roy it was the first time they had ever played at all. The game as it was meant to be was taken light heartedly so there were some additions to the coaches’ side that might not have been allowed but unless anyone else counted players it wasn’t bothering us. There was some great rugby being played, mostly by the 1st XV side but there was some good footwork and passing done by the coaches surprisingly. Half time was called, thank god I thought as I needed a quick breather and a drink (of water before someone else pipes in). Luckily there was none of the coaches were needing oxygen, the kiss of life or the use of the defibrillator thank god.

The second half kicked off and things started getting a bit more intense at which point it was decided that the coaches extra players had better go off before they got hurt as there were some big guys playing and even bigger coaches but not in a good way. It all started to go downhill really from there really, there were mauls being created, the ball was getting carried forward 5 metres at a time after the player was touched and some of the touches made were more like tackles the truth be told. Then the dirty tactics started in the scrums, grabbing of nipples, heads into the chest amongst other things. Yet again some great rugby was being played by both sides, Tino was being fair about the rules and didn’t get to much abuse from the players. Some of the coaches were trying to play the injury card as a reason for not touching, you know who you are El Jefe. Cameron Clow scored a beautiful try but if I remember correctly it was disallowed for some reason or another. Tino blew for full-time and I think all the coaches were relieved, hands were shook and backs patted I believe the game was declared a draw.

Next up was the prize giving that most of the boys had been waiting patiently for, again Simon was compering and started it off with prize giving for the P1-3’s, with the following players winning the awards -:

P1/2

Coaches Player of the Year - Noah Garrow
Most improved Player of the Year - Danny Weir
Players Player of the Year - Lewis McGunnigal

P3

Coaches Player of the Year – Robert Trueman
Most improved Player of the Year – Cameron Ward
Players Player of the Year – Euan Dodds

There was calls of fix when the P1/2 coaches player of the year was announced but then I was told to shut up.

Next up was the P4/5’s with the following players winning the appropriate awards -:

P4

Coaches Player of the Year – Harrison Crowther
Most improved Player of the Year – Ari Scallio
Players Player of the Year – Samuel Ramsay

P5

Coaches Player of the Year – Mackenzie Roy
Most improved Player of the Year – Sam Mitchell
Players Player of the Year – Ewan Campbell

Once again shouts of fix were heard from behind the presentation table and if looks could kill I wouldn’t be typing this.

Finally, it was the presentation for the P6/7’s and El Jefe took to the microphone and the following people players won the awards -:

P6

Coaches Player of the Year – Murray Wilson
Most improved Player of the Year – Fraser Bell
Players Player of the Year – Andrew Aitken

P7

Coaches Player of the Year – Stuart Armstrong
Most improved Player of the Year – Kerr Taylor
Players Player of the Year – Ben Cameron

Well I thought all the presentations were over, but I had wondered what the Quaich was for on the table when I stepped up to do the P6/7 awards. Unbeknown to me, El Jefe had said that he thought everyone knew about it afterwards, there was to be a special award to be made to the most improved player in the P7 section. This would be a yearly award made with the winner’s name being engraved on the Quaich.

The memorial Quaich had been donated to the club by Douglas and Gillian Lamb in memory of their son Gregor who as you all will know lost his life earlier that year.

The microphone was handed Gillian Lamb who gave a lovely speech about Gregor and his love for rugby and farming which brought a tear to most eyes at the family day and a lump to their throat. Kerr came forward to receive the memorial Quaich from Douglas and Gillian and was given a big hug from Gillian. Pictures were taken as you can see from the pictures on the slide viewer on the club website, no one was more prouder that day than Kerr himself, well maybe his mum and dad might have been more prouder than Kerr, I do believe I saw a tear in his mum’s eye along with a huge grin. Speaking to Kerr’s dad Alan later on and I asked him if the Quaich will be taking centre place on the mantelpiece his response was hilarious to me anyway, he said “bugger that the Quaich will be getting put away in its box, and then into a shelve in a cupboard so it won’t be damaged before next year’s prize giving”.

Before we shut the microphone off and retreated to the bar for a few well-earned pints we had a few presentations left to make. It had been decided that certain parents in the mini’s had gone above and beyond the level of help that was required to help out on training days, matches and tournaments and make the mini’s a success that it was. The parents in question were Sylvia Murphy, Ali Moon and Fiona Armstrong who were all presented with a bottle of prosecco I believe and a gift card, and unfortunately a kiss from me. The final presentation was made to Alix Boardman who unfortunately was having to step down from being a coach due to other commitments but did say that she would be hopefully be able to help on the odd occasion. I can’t wait to leave and see what I get presented with, bet it won’t be the same.

Well folks that was that for the family day, which I’m sure all involved would agree that it been a huge success and with any luck it will become a yearly event. I will eventually be uploading pictures of the Fun Day to here some of which are absolute belters, it will take me sometime as there are over 1000 pictures to go through.

If you would like any of the photo’s just email me at srfcmidis@gmail.com but be warned though, they are rather large files.

Brian