Gosforth Go BIG
Gosforth Rugby Club, on splitting from Newcastle Falcons in 1996, became a nomadic outfit unable to invest in any projects.
The newly-formed Gosforth Sports Association has seen the rugby club partner with Newcastle City Cricket Club, Tyne Tees Tigers Aussie Rules football and Newcastle Nighthawks baseball in an exciting multi-sport venture.
The Broadway West playing fields have suffered from a lack of proper maintenance causing games and training to be cancelled but, working closely with the RFU Area Development Officer, Alex Bowden, and Sport England, funds have were raised to upgrade one of the two pitches with decent drainage and training lights. This will allow the club to expand numbers thanks to two playable pitches, the upgrade taking place over the summer in readiness for the 2019/20 season.
The club has also made changes to its structure, with a new coaching team which includes level 3 coach Ian Moralee who has great links with the local rugby scene, providing coaching to schools and Newcastle University.
Newcastle Falcons’ Callum Chick is joining Ian as part of the coaching team, having decided to stay with the Falcons to help the campaign to get them promoted back to the premiership. He is working with Gosforth to get his Level 3 coaching qualification.
Tom Jones, senior lecturer in Sport Science at Northumbria University is 1st XV captain and Si Gaffney is also joining as club physio. Recognising that conditioning and rehabilitation is as important as coaching, Gosforth will provide a free service to players throughout the season.
Club Chairman, Neil Jamieson, said: “We have worked really hard over the past couple of years to turn the club around. We have great volunteers who have put in loads of their spare time to improve the facilities. The awards from Sport England and the RFU and the changes we have made to the coaching team have made Gosforth an attractive club for both local players and people moving to the area.
“We have great plans for the future, and it is going to be an exciting couple of years”
