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"Coaching today has more purpose and clearer objectives...."
21 Dec 2010
Roving reporter Alistair Jolley interviews RDO Peter Churchill 
Peter - tell us about your role in the club
I am the club's Youth Rugby Development Officer and coaching co-ordinator. This involves running the RFU courses for Continuing Personal Development (CPD) and supplementing this with coaching sessions. There are 78 coaches in the mini / junior section of the club, looking after close to 500 players drawn from 54 schools. One afternoon a week I coach at Knole Academy and visit other schools as required. In the spring I organise the Sevenoaks District Primary schools tag festival, involving between 30-35 mixed teams from 20 or so local primary schools.
You must be pleased to see players from the junior section win representative honours and some go on to play the game at the top level
Yes indeed, it is a great honour for the club to have more than 20 youth players achieve international honours. It reflects well on the skills and dedication of the coaching teams we have had in place for a number of seasons now.
What was your playing position?
I generally played at fly half or at full back. I remember a rare occasion when I played inside centre but, after a pounding at Warlingham by ex England centre Terry Brooke, who was 6'5" and 16 stones, I did not volunteer for the 12 shirt again!
And what about your own playing career?
While still at Sevenoaks School I played in junior games during the Christmas holidays, and was introduced into the first team at 18 years of age in the season 69/70. Peter Hunt was first team captain. The current weather brings to mind the time we had to clear snow off the lines before we could play against Westcombe Park one week. I enjoyed 10 seasons in the 1sts before injury and a career move abroad ended my playing days.
Did you captain a club side?
No - but I was vice captain of the 1st XV under Tony Bryant Fenn in the early 1970s.
Did you ever win the Ribblesdale trophy for the clubs highest points scorer?
Yes - on a few occasions, possibly four or perhaps five times. I can't recall exactly but I expect D.A.R. Williams can tell me!
Who do you consider to be the best player you played with?
That's a tough one. There were quite a few. I remember a guy called Con Balasoglu, a Kiwi who played in the second row for a while, and Mike Russell, a South African flanker who destroyed anything that strayed in to his path. Paul Downton, better known for his England exploits behind the stumps, was also an outstanding rugby player, a great attacking runner from full back - that's why I had to play ay 10 sometimes!
Sevenoaks prides itself on being a family club and the Churchills are very much part of that tradition: can you tell us about your family's involvement?
My father, Guy Churchill, played alongside Norman Golds in the early 1930s. His playing days were ended in a match against London Welsh but he went on to be chairman of the club and the Guy Churchill Cup is now presented to the player of the season. Both my sons started in the under 7s and progressed through to the Academy. James is out through injury but I hope Neil may take the game up again. My wife Roma spent many a Saturday afternoon making teas and is now the Child Protection and Welfare Officer for the club.
What do you think of the modern game?
Overall it is a better game. Players are fitter and stronger, coaching has more purpose and clearer objectives. Many of the senior players, particularly now in our first team, have been through mini and junior rugby and have a good skill-set as a result.
Have you any views on the laws of the game?
The laws and interpretations that are now in place are getting closer to what a large number of coaches (and players) want to see as they should encourage a faster skill based game.
How do you see the future of the club, from your position?
The development of home-grown players is essential to the club staying competitive and retaining its social and amateur roots. This is something we must continue to nurture. In 2002 the junior section had 250 players and now as mentioned it is close to 500, but there are fewer administrators today than there were eight years ago, so there is an urgent need for others to get involved and support and help run what is, and will be, the future of the club for many seasons to come.