Ulster Rugby Annual Report 2015 - 2016

further develop the pilot and provide additional support to clubs. Information gathered in the pilot scheme on good practices will be shared with all clubs. The pilot scheme is very much a case of helping clubs to help themselves. Player Welfare Player Welfare continues to be the most important issue within the game and work has continued in terms of ensuring an integrated approach to raising awareness amongst players, coaches, officials, referees, spectators, volunteers and medical professionals. Over the course of the last 12 months a range of measures have been delivered in terms of player welfare. These have included:- — — Delivery of concussion workshops to coaches, players and parents throughout the province — — Mandatory completion of the World Rugby on-line concussion certificate for all those attending a coaching course — — Delivery of SAFE Rugby Programme to clubs and schools (Standard Approach to Field Emergencies in Rugby) — — Specific workshops for doctors and physios working in the club and school game — — Ongoing training to referees in relation to the management of injuries and concussion — — Distribution of ‘Recognise and Remove’ materials to all clubs and schools — — The IRFU have developed a series of short videos, aimed at players, parents, coaches and referees highlighting concussion and reinforcing key messages. This information is available on the Ulster and Irish Rugby websites. — — Ulster Rugby and the IRFU have worked with DCAL and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to develop generic information on concussion in sport and school. This was distributed to every pupil in Northern Ireland. Subsequently an online learning tool for use in school was also developed which both the IRFU and Ulster Rugby contributed to. It is important that player welfare is to the front of all of our thinking and that we are taking every opportunity to educate and inform all of those who have an interest in the game. Volunteers A considerable amount work has been carried out by Branch staff to help the volunteers in clubs through a number of initiatives. The #URthedifference campaign was launched at the annual Ulster Rugby Volunteer Recognition Event in December. This was designed to highlight and encourage volunteering through a series of resources for clubs, social media engagement and events. Addressing the 100+ volunteers in attendance, Bobby Stewart and Les Kiss reinforced the importance of volunteers in rugby in Ulster. Volunteers from 28 different clubs attended the event along with Ulster Rugby volunteers who participate in a range of programmes including Ulster Rugby Crew, Representative Squads, Charity Action Team and the OUR Club programme.

Willie Anderson. With playing and coaching accolades too long to mention, Willie will provide an edge and technical expertise to the young forwards coming through the Academy system. There continues to be a close synergy between the Academy and Domestic rugby in an aim to continue to identify and develop local talent from all areas of Ulster in which Michael Black and Johnny Gillespie have been instrumental. The Elite Player Pathway and the Academy Programme continue to work closely with the Domestic Game Regionalisation Programme. This engagement between the domestic and professional game staff has shown the benefit of having an integrated system for developing and delivering talent. There has also been close liaison with schools/clubs and positive relationships have been developed with them and they are fully engaged in the programmes as well. THE DOMESTIC GAME The 2015/16 season has yet again been a busy year within the domestic game. We have continued to see growth on a number of fronts in particular in age grade and female participation numbers whilst also facing ongoing challenges around the adult game. It should be noted that these challenges are not unique to rugby in Ulster, and are being faced by a significant number of team sports across the UK and Ireland for a variety of reasons as people’s lifestyles and preferences continue to change. Over the course of the season a working party has been established to look at these issues and a number of initiatives will be rolled out during season 2016/17. The breadth of work carried out in the domestic game through development staff and in conjunction with various Ulster Rugby Committees and countless volunteers in clubs and schools is outlined later in this report. It is critical to highlight the importance of all the parties working together for the common objective of growing and developing the game. With the imminent release of a new strategic plan for the domestic game in Ireland there is an opportunity for us to refocus our efforts on a number of key areas. Ulster Rugby must be prepared to react to the changing needs of the clubs and schools whilst at the same time focusing on the core elements of increasing participation and improving standards on and off the field. Club Development Pilot Scheme Over the course of the season 8 clubs (Ballyclare Ballynahinch, Banbridge, City of Derry, Coleraine, Malone, Newry and Virginia) have been working closely with Ulster Rugby staff as part of a club development pilot. The purpose of the pilot is to offer practical assistance to clubs in order to analyse current practices, share good practices and develop a clearer sense of future purpose for clubs. As a result of being involved in the pilot, a number of the clubs are now developing long term club development plans that focus on a small number of areas each of which is key to ensuring the long term sustainability of the club. Key issues which have been identified include a lack of an agreed club vision, poor governance, poor financial planning, lack of volunteers and poor player recruitment and retention. With assistance from the IRFU it is hoped that additional resources will be made available in season 2016/17 to

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