Homegrown colts at the heart of Egremont's success
From Colts to Cumbria 1, Egremont Head Coach, Adam Redhead, explains how his club has recently managed to add a 2nd XV.
Egremont RFC's 1st XV have enjoyed a blistering start to the season, with eight wins from their opening nine league matches, but before the 2022/23 campaign even began, there was already a reason for the Cumbria 1 club to celebrate: the recent addition of a 2nd XV.
Look up Egremont RFC online, and one of the first things you notice about their social media presence is the prominence given to the youth teams. "1st XV, 2nd XV, U15's - U7'boys and U16, U14 and U12 girls," @EgremontRugbyU's Twitter bio proudly states - and it's this emphasis on the age grade set-up that has enabled the club to bolster their ranks with another adult team.
But it hasn't been all plain sailing. The recent COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted rugby clubs up and down the country, with loss of revenue compounded by a drop in player numbers once the community game returned, and Egremont was no exception. The club was hit particularly hard by the number of players aged 30+ that never came back, which culminated in Egremont struggling to field a single team at one point last year.
"The situation was dire. We had people dropping out left, right, and centre," Egremont RFC Head Coach, Adam Redhead, explains. "We didn't really have a team, and there were only about five or six of us at training some evenings. The Team Manager would typically get the starting XV confirmed about 10 minutes before kick-off, which made it difficult for him to set up kit and things like that. We had low numbers at training, people not being available, and some older players deciding they'd had enough."
Local Player Drive
Egremont has long been a magnet for young Cumbrian players unable to access colts teams at their local club. However, while relying on youngsters from far afield can plug a short-term gap, it doesn't give you a solid long-term platform for player retention.
"In a way, this was part of Egremont's downfall. Because once these lads were old enough to play for adult teams, they just went back to their clubs. So, we needed to switch it up a bit. While we carried on accepting new players, we also started approaching local schools to try and get Egremont lads coming down to join our colts team.
"Soon after, our colts coach went into one of the local schools, Westlakes Academy, and took over their rugby team, so the lads got to know him. He started encouraging them to come down and play for the club too, and that's what basically built our colts team last year. Those lads have spent a lot of time together, and that bond is what keeps them at Egremont RFC. We did lose a couple to other clubs, but overall, we've managed to keep most of those players."
'One Club' Mentality
Redhead joined Egremont in 2021 and wasted no time building on the strong foundations the club had put in place during a challenging fallow period. "As soon as I joined Egremont, one of my priorities was to get the colts more involved. Pretty soon after joining, I went to one of their sessions and told them they could come and train with the adults on a Thursday. We never did any contact training, but we got to the point where we could play attack against defence, then switch it around so they could see how set-pieces and attacking plays worked. Everyone really enjoyed it, and the lads would get involved and fill in. Sometimes I'd put a colt into the first team back line or the pack, and we'd try to play the same way so that when they did come into the senior team, they would know exactly what was going on, understand the lineout calls, and all the moves we were playing.
"Once the colts progress into the adult teams, it's important to make them feel valued. I made one of our ex-colts the 2nd team vice-captain. John, our 57-year-old captain, can only last 20 minutes, then he gets knackered and needs a rest, so Hayden gets to be captain for the majority of the game. Then because it's a colt in charge, many of the other younger players want to follow him, and that's great for the feeling of camaraderie in the squad."
As well as making the transition from colts to adult rugby seamless on the pitch, Adam was determined to make it equally easy off the pitch.
"First and foremost, we made the environment as welcoming as possible. Our adult teams range from teenagers to people in their forties, and there's a good mix of friendly lads in there who all make an effort to make the colts feel at ease. So, any new lad that comes along, we try and make them feel as welcome as possible, get them involved straight away, add them in the WhatsApp group chat, and generally make a fuss of them. Sometimes, if we've got a new player, I'll ask one of the senior lads to befriend them and chat to them during the training session, so that they're not alone and there's always someone to talk to. We do a lot of teambuilding stuff, like sponsored walks around the Lake District, and we make a point of getting the Colts involved in that. The senior lads also go to colts matches and help them with coaching. It's a very inclusive culture, and we've taken the attitude that we're one club, and the Colts are a massive part of it.
"This approach has been great for our numbers at Egremont. I'd say we get 20 as a minimum at training, with 32 being our highest so far this season. We've also increased the number of teams we can put out. We only had one team last season with a squad of 24, which is a difficult number as you have to leave lads out each week, and people want to play, and if they can't get a game, then they're going to go elsewhere. So we needed to get that 2nd XV.
"We've also tried to change the club's culture a bit to make the players more enthusiastic about turning up: whether it's training or a match day, we try and make everything a bit more fun. We've added Sky Sports in the clubhouse, and we now do special Super Sunday afternoons, drinks deals, pizzas etc. The atmosphere around the club is getting better and better. The Colts also bring their parents because the atmosphere is so good, and that's added revenue for the club because they enjoy the craic and the camaraderie as much as the players - and if the parents are happy, the Colts are more likely to be happy. We've also turned one of the rooms in the clubhouse into a players' lounge and have just ordered a big TV for it."
Words of Advice
So, as a club that has enjoyed success when it comes to growing adult player numbers through a strong colts pathway, what advice would Adam give to other clubs looking to do the same?
"Get among the youngsters very early. Next season, we're thinking about using our U8s as mascots for the senior teams. They'll be able to have a photo taken with the squad before the match, and we really want them to feel part of the team from a young age. We also make sure the 1st XV coaches go and watch the Colts games, which is a big one for us, as it makes the Colts feel valued. It's all about that 'One Club' feeling. At some clubs, the set-up around the 1st and 2nd team is miles apart, and I ensure that whatever the first team gets, the second team gets as well. Whether that's how the kit is laid out, the way the pitch is set up, food and drinks after the match, strapping, tape, ice packs, or whatever they need - both teams get the same. It might not sound that important, but it really makes people feel like they're part of the same club. It keeps them there and keeps them happy.
"I'd also encourage other clubs to make things fun and relaxed, especially in training. I used to focus on fitness, but I quickly realised I would have to make it fun if I was going to keep the players, so I brought in more games and light-hearted exercises, and that's what kept the lads there. Then, once you've got a settled group, you can bring in the fitness element a bit more."
While Egremont have clearly got the colts and adult teams playing together on the pitch, as Adam explains, it's the social side of the game that keeps the players coming back week after week.
"In a nutshell, the social side is more important than what happens on the pitch. We play at Level 7. That needs to be a higher level for it to be the other way round. The players come to the club for enjoyment first and foremost, which is why our training sessions have a very relaxed atmosphere. If someone's going away with their girlfriend for a week, I won't have a go at them; I'll tell them to have a good time. It's very laid back, and the lads enjoy that more: they're not being bullied into coming down; they're playing because they want to and they can. The social side is massive for us. I think we're doing it well, but we can always do more."
#PlayTogetherStayTogether
