Welcome to the start of another new season – as ever, a season full of excitement, anticipation and promise. 

There is a real buzz around the club right now, and in many ways we will be entering a new era this season.

As I write these notes, we have secured funding from the RFU that will enable us to complete the long-awaited clubhouse extension project. As you will no doubt have noticed, the building work is already well underway and, with luck and a fair wind, we should have the whole thing completed by Christmas. New and improved facilities for changing, medical and injury rehab, match officials and equipment storage form the basis of the new clubhouse and we hope, too, that an enlarged and enhanced club room will improve the environment for non-players, too.

What we do need is to raise more money. Essentially, the more we can raise, the better finish we can give the building and the better the legacy we can pass to on to future generations. So come on, make a donation or buy a brick – every little helps!

On the field, we extend a warm welcome to our new coaching team of Danny Vaughan and John Whitehead – a vastly experienced and successful pair of coaches who we hope will drive the senior teams on to new heights. At the same time, we say a fond farewell to previous head coach James Leverington, who has relinquished his position to enable him to juggle the pressures of work and a young family. Thanks James, you did a great job.

There are other changes afoot, too. For the first time we have a “Club Captain” as distinct from a 1^st XV captain, to help ease the pressure on both the Senior Rugby Chairman and the 1^st XGV captain; George Roffey has been appointed to the role and is already doing a fantastic job of organising and galvanising the players.

Elsewhere, the 3^rd XV is going to be run as a development squad, under the leadership of Jon Muchmore and Mark Reay. The intention is to provide a natural pathway from the Academy through to senior rugby and an opportunity for all players, regardless of age, who want to develop their own rugby abilities. It’s an exciting prospect and I have no doubt will make a big contribution to the overall success of the club.

The Sunday section had another strong season and there is every reason to expect more of the same in 2011/12. It will be fascinating to see how last year’s unbeaten U16s get on when they enter the Academy – a mouth-watering prospect. The atmosphere at the club on Sundays is truly wonderful – with hundreds of local kids of all ages and from all aspects of the local community enjoying the benefits of organised sport. If you haven’t been down to the club lately on a Sunday, I urge you to give it a go – and, while you are there, take the opportunity to sample some of Diane’s wonderful culinary offerings or Colin’s fine selection from behind the bar!

Everything seems set for a wonderful season, so polish your boots or dust off the wellies and let’s enjoy it!

All the best,

Lee

Lee Adamson

Chairman, Sevenoaks RFC