club development toolkit · club, ensuring sufficient funds are available to meet running costs....

C l u b D e v e l o p m e n t t o o l k i t

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CLUB DEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT

FROMTHE GROUNDUP


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T h e V o l u n T e e r C o m m i T T e e

effective volunteers play an essential role in successful clubs. The Volunteer Committee was established to ensure these volunteers are supported.

The Volunteer Committee is comprised of the current leinster Branch President and Vice President, along with two past Presidents, as well as executive representatives and the Club Services officer.

The aims and objectives of the Committee are:

To support the Club Services officer in assisting the clubs to become more effective and efficient in their •operations

To be the voice of volunteers to the executive•

To define and develop roadshows, workshops and collateral to support clubs•

To work with external contacts and groups to bring resources to club volunteers•

To develop and manage the Volunteer of the Year appreciation plan•

To work with virtual teams within the irFu – leinster Branch to ensure objectives are met.•

volunteer Committee :

Carol maybury, robert mcDermott, robert Deacon, niall rynne, Kevin loftus, Ciaran lynch, lorcan Kirk.

eden Print ltd 046 9731114


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ConTenTS

FunDrAiSinG ......................................................................................................................................................................................4

SuB CommiTTee .........................................................................................................................................................................5

Where To BeGin ........................................................................................................................................................................5

FunDrAiSinG ACTiViTieS ........................................................................................................................................................9

FunDrAiSinG SuGGeSTionS ..............................................................................................................................................10

FunDrAiSinG PlAn .................................................................................................................................................................11

VolunTeer ........................................................................................................................................................................................15

role oF The VolunTeer CoorDinATor .....................................................................................................................15

reCruiT ........................................................................................................................................................................................16

CluB PlAnninG .......................................................................................................................................................................17

The one hour CommiTTmenT ........................................................................................................................................18

The imPorTAnCe oF ASKinG. .............................................................................................................................................19

VolunTeer APPreCiATion PlAn ......................................................................................................................................20

role DeSCriPTionS ................................................................................................................................................................20

FunDinG .............................................................................................................................................................................................23

CluB SuPPorT SCheme .........................................................................................................................................................23

SPorTS CAPiTAl ProGrAmme ............................................................................................................................................24

SeCTion 235 TAX relieF ........................................................................................................................................................25

BlAnK reGulATion 6 ............................................................................................................................................................26

The ASSoCiATion oF reFereeS – leinSTer BrAnCh (ArlB) ........................................................................................29

F u n D r A i S i n G

Fundraising is necessary for the survival and growth of all clubs. Financial security is an important aim of the club, ensuring sufficient funds are available to meet running costs. once excess funds are available, facility, coaching and strategic development projects can begin.

This toolkit looks to provide advice and guidance on fundraising and how to ensure your club has financial security.


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S u B C o m m i T T e e

Fundraising is an ongoing activity and can drain time from the management committee of a club. As such, it is recommended to establish a fundraising subcommittee. This subcommittee should have clear guidelines on its responsibilities. its purpose is to investigate all fundraising opportunities and reach targets set by the club.

W h e r e T o B e G i n

C l u b F u n d i n g m o d e l :


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S T e P 1

Begin by reviewing the club’s governance. Good Governance is a public statement of compliance. The following elements work together to ensure the club is working to best practice.

The Club Constitution

The constitution outlines:

name of the club •

objectives •

regulates relationships between members, i.r.F.u., Branch and third parties •

Sets out members rights & responsibilities•

Committee

The committee roles, names of office holders and contact information should be detailed.

Bank Details

The club must have a bank account in the same name as the club with two or more unrelated signatories.

Accounts

The club financial accounts should be prepared annually and preferably independently examined or audited. These must be submitted to the irFu for inclusion in the Club Support Scheme, along with a completed financial template.

Policies

Policies should be documented and should include health and Safety and Welfare. Policies should also include a Coach Development Plan, Volunteer Policy and Club referee Development Plan.

Insurance

The club must have player insurance through the insurance subvention programme. Appropriate levels of club insurance must also be held.

Meeting Minutes

The AGm and all committee meetings should be documented and agreed. An annual report should be prepared and retained.


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S T e P 2

it is recommended that all clubs have a three to five-year Club Development Plan, which will identify key goals and projects the club wishes to achieve, as well as guide any funding needs.

it outlines where the club is now, where it wants to get to and how it is going to get there. The plan should be actionable and measurable. essentially, the plan should set out a range of projects to deliver over the next 3 to 5 years which align to the club’s vision and core objectives.

This will help to identify key areas for development and guide funding and resource needs.

S T e P 3

examine where the club’s money currently comes from. is it State (from Government grants and agencies), earned (memberships and income) or Fundraised (how)?

if funding is received from grants and agencies, are these funds available annually?

What is the target for earned income?

use the templates in the Appendix to help with this exercise.


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S T e P 4

Write the Club’s Fundraising Strategy. This clarifies the financial need, sets the fundraising targets and timeframes and focuses on the most appropriate fundraising techniques.

identify the club’s objectives and how much is needed to achieve these.

Base the targets on the club’s resources (number of volunteers, knowledge, skills, organisational factors)

The outcome of the strategy will help to determine the most appropriate fundraising mix.

S T e P 5

Build the case for support

This should be written with the club supporters in mind. These are on and off field supporters, including family, friends, community, sponsors and corporates.

outline clearly why the club deserves support. Ask yourself what is unique and deserving about your club. Why is their support needed and when is it needed?

Tell the story of those who benefit

Prove the impact – state the numbers and the monetary value i.e. €50 will buy training bibs for the junior team, €50,000 will buy floodlights to increase the times the pitch can be used etc.

ensure the case is transparent and accountable.


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F u n D r A i S i n G A C T i V i T i e S :

A C T i V i T Y A D VA n TA G e D i S A D VA n TA G e

one large high-profile event per season

large amount of incoming money, raise profile

resource heavy, high cost, low roi

Corporate sponsorship low cost, high return Takes time and perseverance to find the right corporates who are interested

Philanthropy/Trusts/Foundations Cost effective fundraising method Time consuming with possibly no return

Sell Something Quick and easy most costly form of fundraising, no data capture


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F u n D r A i S i n G S u G G e S T i o n S :

10,000 Step Challenge 500 Club

Auction Bootcamp

Bring a Bag* Buy a Brick

Casino night Club merchandise

Fun Day Golf Day

hot Chocolate after training Kids Camp

Kids movie night last man Standing

lip Sync operation Transformation

race night raffle

Sleepover/sleep out Sticker books

Strictly Come Dancing Tea/Coffee Sales

Teen Disco The Cube

Tournament Venue rental

White Collar Boxing


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F u n D r A i S i n G P l A n S T e P 1 : G AT h e r T h e n u m B e r S

Fill out the following chart with your results from last year’s fundraising activities, your current year-to-date figures, and projections for the coming year. There will likely be some parts of the chart that you’ll leave blank at this stage in your planning process.

Fundraising activities, current year-to-date figures, and projections for the coming year:

S o u r C el A S T Y e A r ’ S i n C o m e

l A S T Y e A r ’ S e X P e n S e

C u r r e n T Y e A r ’ S i n C o m e

C u r r e n T Y e A r ’ S e X P e n S e

n e X T Y e A r ’ S i n C o m e

n e X T Y e A r ’ S e X P e n S e

individual Donors

total

membership

events

major Gifts

mail Solicitation

other

Sales/earned income

Government

Foundations

Corporations

totAlS


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S T e P 2 : A n A lY Z e P A S T F u n D r A i S i n G e F F o r T S

(use separate sheets of paper for the following questions for each source.)

For each of the sources of income in the chart in Step 1, note briefly what has worked well to •bring in money that you want to do again.

What hasn’t worked? how can you improve or modify these strategies to make them work? •

What are new opportunities coming up that you want to take advantage of, such as a special •anniversary, a large organizing campaign?

(if you want to do a more detailed evaluation of your past fundraising efforts, including rate of response, what worked, and what should change)

S T e P 3 : D e T e r m i n e Y o u r AVA i l A B l e r e S o u r C e S

resources for fundraising include the people who will be involved in carrying out various fundraising tasks as well as money you’ll need to spend on materials. This will help you brainstorm who you can recruit to your fundraising team.

W h o ? h o W m A n Y ? W h AT C o u l D T h e Y D o ?

Committee

Volunteers

individual teams

Supporters

Who else?


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S T e P 4 : P l A n o u T A l l o F T h e D e TA i l S

For each strategy you plan to use, fill out a page with the following information

Strategy: _________________________________

Project income (gross) € ___________________

Total cost € ___________________

net income € ___________________

other goals that this strategy will meet (generate publicity etc) ________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

number of volunteers required to carry out this strategy ______________________________________

expenses to carry out this strategy:

e X P e n S e € A m o u n T n o T e S

Services

Design & Printing

Postage

Travel / Transportation

Food

other

ToTAl

Activities/Steps to complete this strategy:

D AT e TA S K S W h o


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S T e P 5 : P u T i T A l l To G e T h e r

Finally, you can pull together all your fundraising planning in one chart that will show what fundraising activities you are doing, how much you intend to raise, from whom, when, who will do what, and how much it will cost.

STrATeGY G o A l S TArGeT AuDienCe

DeSCriPTion

W h e n W h o C o S T

Fun Day Add 25 new members

Generate €1,000 net

Friends & Family of existing members, local community, schools

Try rugbyGamesBBQmeet the players

Aug 26 Committee, u18s

€500

on the next page, make notes on what your club believes the club should do over the coming five years to improve the financial management and fundraising of the club.

What should we STArT DoinG?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What should we ConTinue DoinG?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What should we SToP DoinG?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


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V o l u n T e e r

role of the volunteer coordinator

The role of the Volunteer Coordinator is to coordinate the work being done by the various volunteers involved in your club. it also includes assisting with recruiting, retaining and rewarding as well as supporting individual volunteers where necessary.

Main Duties

Assess the need for volunteers in the club for positions and events •

Get to know all club volunteers and potential volunteers and act as their main contact •

ensure that all volunteer jobs have a role outline •

Coordinate the implementation of the volunteer recruitment, training and support plans •

Work to organise volunteer rosters where required •

recognise and nominate your volunteers for volunteer awards •

identify and organise training opportunities for volunteers •

Work with the club committee to organise social events for volunteers •

Attend committee meetings to report •


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r e C r u i T

The basic steps in recruitment are:


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C l u B P l A n n i n G

Developing a club plan is a good way of promoting a positive image for the club and will give people a sense that the club is going in the right direction. People like to see progress and a plan is a great way of demonstrating that.

The responsibility of recruitment lies with the whole club. All members should be involved and aware of the club’s recruitment strategy. everyone working together to recruit new members will result in more success rather than leaving the recruiting in the hands of a couple of committee members.

Think about potential volunteers as consumers. There are a lot of ways motivated individuals can give their time and talents to your club. Decide what your club offers that is special and might draw in potential members. The objective of a recruitment strategy is to examine and plan every aspect of volunteer recruitment in your club.

re-examine why you need volunteers in your club: •

how many volunteers do you need? •

What do you want them to do? •

When will you need the volunteers? •

For how long do you need them? •

What demands will be made on the volunteer? •

Who will be making these demands? •

What authority will the volunteer have? •

Who is the volunteer answerable to? •

What support is there for the new volunteer? •

is there time available for trained volunteers to work with new volunteers? •

Will you club accept and be open to new volunteers? •

What sort of people do you want in these roles? •

What skills do they need? •

Plan your recruitment strategy campaign and present it to your club committee looking for additional •suggestions from members


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T h e o n e h o u r C o m m i T T m e n T

each recruitment drive should begin with the most basic unit of voluntary commitment which is ‘one hour’. This is the shortest time per week during which one person can make a difference. While it might appear a small amount, lots of one-hour voluntary commitments can add up to a highly effective, focused group of volunteers who can take much of the hard work away from others in the Club.

Below are examples of how much work can be done in one hour per week;

Sell some lotto tickets. •

Sunday morning under eight coaching. •

Clean the social club once a week. •

Put out chairs for a club function. •

Wash jerseys for one team. •

Keep the water bottles filled for an underage team. •

update website. •

Assist with club shop/club merchandise.•

each of these tasks are straightforward and easy to do, but when taken off the workload of a hard-pressed volunteer, can make a great difference to the running of a club. more importantly, it is the minimum commitment which is required to make a difference.


T h e i m P o r TA n C e o F A S K i n G

The easiest way to get new volunteers is to JuST ASK!! Ask, ask, ask. And when you get rejected, ask again or ask somebody else.

‘Ask’

Flyers and adverts are fine, but not as good as an ‘ask’. Who should you ask? everybody. if there is anybody in the community who has an interest or could develop an interest in your club, ask. Who should do the asking? You, your current volunteers, your members. Believe it or not, the most effective asks usually come not from the “chairperson”, but from the “satisfied customers” (current volunteers). When a current volunteer tells a peer that volunteering in the club is rewarding and worth the time commitment, it makes a powerful statement.

Don’t Say Somebody else’s “no.”

Don’t say somebody else’s “no.” Too often we assume somebody is too busy, uninterested etc. so we say “no” on their behalf without ever actually asking them to volunteer. Don’t assume. Don’t say somebody else’s “no.” There are probably more people in your community willing to work with your club than you think. You just have to ask!

remove barriers to Saying “Yes”

it is also important to remember that many potential volunteers feel that the only roles available may be in coaching with your teams and they do not have the skillset for this. it is essential to put people at ease and let them know that there are many roles available and that their skills can be hugely beneficial to the club in many capacities. Do not leave an obvious barrier to allow people to say ‘no’.

people are waiting to be asked so ASk tHem!

Women and older people are the most willing volunteers. inVolVe Them!

Think beyond the inner Circle. enD The CliQue!

link tasks with available skills. - uSe WiSelY!

Begin with an agreed volunteer commitment. one hour!

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V o l u n T e e r A P P r e C i AT i o n P l A n

it is essential that you show appreciation to all the volunteers involved in your club and show support for their effort. The unpaid work of all the people involved in the club allows the base of your club to be wide, deep and strong and continue to grow annually.

in order to maintain or increase the volunteer base it is important that all volunteers at all levels of the game are appreciated, thanked and supported in appropriate ways by your club.

“Volunteer of the Year” Award as part of the club prize giving. This award can go to any administrator, team official or volunteer in any capacity. nominate volunteers for leinster rugby’s Volunteer of the Year award.

r o l e D e S C r i P T i o n S

role Summary DescriptionApprox. no. of hours

Administration oversee all committees. Games and events will depend on your sub-committees

4 hours per week

Age Grade Coordinator The guardian of the future of the club, responsible for leading everyone associated with mini and Youth rugby

6 hours per week

Bar manager manage and run the bar profitably Possibly fulltime

Bingo Volunteers For clubs that run a club bingo, arrange participants, ticket sales and draw

0.5 hours per week

Catering Coordinator responsible for catering for players, supporters, volunteers and visitors

2 hours per week

Chairperson To provide the vision, leadership and business plan to develop the club. To run the management committee

6 hours per week

Club Captain To be a role model at the club. To be the link between players and administration, representing the views of players and guide their interests in the development of the club

10 hours per week

Club Development manager Plan and manage all club house and grounds development

Sporadic

Club referee Coordinator To help the club referees develop their skills. To ensure quality refereeing in the club

1 hour per week

Club Welfare officer Provide leadership in the safeguarding of children and adults within the club. required to undertake appropriate irFu safeguarding courses

2-3 hours per week


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Coaching coordinator To develop a coaching structure and promote the development of all coaches within the club

2-3 hours per week

Communications and Pr manager To spread the good news of rugby. Promote the club to the public, raise the profile and boost the popularity of the game

3-4 hours per week

Data officer responsible for the data entry and management in the Clubhouse database

1-2 hours per week

Director of rugby To lead a group of coaching and support volunteers who produce successful teams on and off the field

6-8 hours per week

Discipline Committee The Discipline secretary is in charge of the club’s reputation for fair play by investigating and dealing with allegations of foul play and misconduct

1 hour per week

equipment manager To take responsibility for all club kit, from team shirts to balls, pads, posts, flags etc

2 hours per week

First Aid officers Adequately trained first aid officers to ensure all injuries are treated immediately

2 hours per week

Fixtures Secretary responsible for organising league, cup and friendly matches for all teams

2 hours per week

Funding Coordinator identifying, applying for and following up all grant applications. investigate investment opportunities

1-2 hours per week

Fundraising Coordinator Plan, organise and lead a team to raise funds for the club

2 hours per week

Grounds manager responsible for the pitches, training areas, stands and car parks. Plan the effective use and maintenance, manage budgets and preparation

4 hours per week

head Coach responsible for organising the senior team coaches and managers with the Director of rugby. Also, responsible for recruiting players

16 hours per week in season

health and Safety officer responsible for minimising the risk to people and prepare risk assessments

1 hour per week

honorary Secretary The head administrator for the club, looking after the general running of the club

4 hours per week

honorary Treasurer looking after all the club accounts and financial dealings, reporting to the management committee

2 hours per week

major events Coordinator Plan, organise and deliver major events Sporadic

marketing/Sponsorship/Commercial manager manage advertising and sponsorship programmes for the club to create sustainable income and use the club assets to its full potential

3-4 hours per week


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medical officer Advise and assist in the development of medical policies, protocols and practice

2-3 hours per week

membership Secretary manage existing memberships and actively encourage new ones including subscriptions, renewals and data

3-4 hours per week

merchandise manager To give people the chance to show their allegiance in a range of ways through the club colours

2-3 hours per week

Player registrars To be the keeper of the official information about player registration, ensuring all players are eligible to take part in competitions

0.5 hours per week

President The President is the figurehead of the club, representing the club at all functions and guiding, supporting and advising club officers

6 hours per week

School/College liaison officer To create mutually beneficial links with local education institutions

2-3 hours per week term time

Senior match Day Coordinator To coordinate visiting teams, dressing rooms and pitches. Point of contact for match day

3 hours on match day

Social media manager Promote the club, build the brand, contribute and filter and guide the social media presence

Team Coach Coaches must have completed irFu coaching courses and passed by the Welfare officer to coach. responsible for player development

Team manager To keep the team in the loop on club requirements, ensuring players are registered, completing team sheets, relaying match and training schedules

5-10 hours per week

Transport manager manage the clubs transport requirements for all away matches

1 hour per week

Vice-President To work alongside the President, attending functions and games if the President is unavailable

3 hours per week

Volunteer Coordinator responsible for recruiting, training and engaging a team of volunteers. Be the point of contact

1-2 hours per week

Webmaster Create a dynamic website and maintain up to date information attractively presented

2 hours per week

Women’s rugby Coordinator To sell the game of rugby to interested women and guide girls through the minis and youths

2-3 hours per week

Youth Chairperson To oversee the running of the Youth section 2 hours per week

Youth Treasurer To look after all accounts and financial dealings of the youth section

1 hour per week


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F u n D i n G

Club Support SCHeme

every club is eligible for Club Support Scheme funding and should meet the criteria (see below) every season.

The Club Support Scheme supports the club in the development of rugby. There are four streams:

All ireland league (Ail) Travel and Accommodation Allowance 1.

Divisional Grant 2.

Participation Grants 3.

Adult Participation Grant a.

Women’s Participation Grant b.

under 20’s Participation Grant c.

Coach Development Grant 4.

Adult Coach Development Grant a.

underage Coach Development Grantb.

The irFu provides additional funding and support through the following four initiatives:

Women’s Ail Development Funding 1.

Player Development Award 2.

insurance Subvention 3.

medical Professional liability4.

Funding will noT be released until the Club has met the following criteria:

Safeguarding Compliant •

regulation 6 Documentation submitted •

Club Accounts & irFu Financial Template submitted •

Bronze level on the Clubhouse Database •

more detail can be found in the Club Support Scheme Guidance notes, issued each season.


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S P o r T S C A P i TA l P r o G r A m m e

The Sports Capital Programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to developing sports and physical recreation facilities throughout the country.

Clubs must register on the online portal at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie to be eligible to apply. A tax registration number is required for registration.

once registered, the club contact is notified of any future rounds and open and closing dates for applications.

The Sports Capital Programme funds:

natural grass sports pitches, tracks and courts (including pitch drainage) •

Floodlighting •

Artificial sports pitches, tracks, courts and multi-use games areas •

Fitness studios •

Security fencing, ball stop netting and goal posts •

hurling walls / handball alleys •

Walking/jogging tracks •

Building or refurbishment of dressing rooms, showers and toilets •

Building or refurbishment of sports halls, gyms or fitness studios •

modifications to sports facilities to improve access for people with disabilities. •

non-personal sports equipment including gym equipment3, lawn mowers and defibrillators. •

Any other capital projects that are clearly sporting in nature and that will increase participation in sport or •improve performance

it does not fund:

running or operational costs •

Viewing stands •

Car parks, roads or landscaping •

Children’s Playgrounds •

Bars, kitchens, sleeping accommodation, offices or other parts of a project that have little or no sporting •content

Projects (or elements of projects) where work has already commenced. •

The building or renovating of swimming pools •

routine maintenance (including the resurfacing of artificial pitches funded by the SCP in the last 10 years)•

All clubs should apply for non-personal sports equipment in every round of the programme. This includes, but is not limited to:

lawnmowers•

Defibrillators•

Jerseys•

Balls•

Gym equipment•

Cones•

Scrummaging equipment•

Pads•

Speed and Agility packs•


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S e C T i o n 2 3 5 TA X r e l i e F

There is a section in the Finance Act 2002 that provides for a scheme of tax relief for relevant donations to an approved sports body for the funding of approved projects.

The minimum qualifying total donation amount by a single donor in any year to an individual sports body is €250.

if your club or organisation is acquiring land or a building, developing facilities or purchasing fixed, non-personal equipment for sports activities, or repaying a loan for these purposes, this provision in the Finance Act provides an incentive to individuals or companies to make a donation towards the cost of the project.

An approved sports body is one which holds:

Certification from the revenue Commissioners that the club to which section 235 of the Taxes 1. Consolidation Act 1997 applies, i.e. it is a body established for the sole purpose of promoting an athletic or amateur game or sport whose income is exempt from income/corporation tax

a current tax clearance certificate 2.

it is up to the organisation or the sports club to apply to the revenue Commissioners to obtain the certificates outlined above.

An “approved project” means one or more of the following:

the purchase, construction or refurbishment of a building or structure, or part of a building or •structure to be used for sporting or recreation activities provided by the approved sports body,

the purchase of land to be used by the approved sports body in the provision of sporting or •recreation facilities

the purchase of permanently based equipment (excluding personal equipment) for use by the •approved sports body in the provision of sporting or recreation facilities

the improvement of the playing pitches, surfaces or facilities of the approved sports body•

the repayment of, or the payment of interest on, money borrowed by the approved sports body •on or after 1 may 2002 for any of the above purposes.

more details are available at www.revenue.ie or from your local revenue office.


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B l A n K r e G u l AT i o n 6 :

STATemenT in relATion To mATeriAl BeneFiTS ProViDeD To PlAYerS

__________________________________ rFC (name of Club)

part 1:

in accordance with the responsibilities conferred upon us by the Constitution of the Club, and to the best of our knowledge and belief, we the undersigned hereby state that:

(i) We have read and understand the union’s regulations relating to the registration, eligibility, movement and payment of Club players.

(ii) no material Benefit, no match Fees and no-Win Bonuses, save those permitted by the regulations and listed hereunder, have been paid, promised or given by any third party to any player in the Club during the past season.

(iii) no retention money and no Signing on money has been paid or agreed to be paid directly or indirectly to any player by the Club in return for playing for or transferring to the Club.

(iv) All expenses and other material Benefits paid to Players during the past season and which are due to be paid in the forthcoming season have been approved by the Club membership in Annual General meeting.

part 2: to be completed by the Club’s treasurer (but signed by all parties below)

in accordance with the responsibilities conferred upon me by the Constitution of the Club, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, i the undersigned hereby certify that only the following benefits and vouched expenses for training, playing or being selected for the team or a substitute on the bench have been paid or promised to the following players during the season, and have been approved by the Club membership in Annual General meeting:

P l AY e r - C o A C h P AY m e n T

name of Coach:

Coaching qualification:

Total amount of remuneration during the season (gross):


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P l AY e r e X P e n S e S

Vouched expenses paid during the past season:

Financial:

non-financial benefits:

list of players in receipt of vouched expenses / benefits during the past season:

Vouched expenses agreed to be paid during the forthcoming season:

Financial:

non-financial benefits:

Any other payments or benefits paid or agreed which may fall within the scope of irFu regulation 6

Club Secretary: name: ________________________________

Signed: ________________________________

Date: ________________________________

c o n t i n u e D o v e r l e a f


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B l A n K r e G u l AT i o n 6 :

Club Treasurer: name: ________________________________

Signed: ________________________________

Date: ________________________________

Director of rugby/head Coach: name: ________________________________

Signed: ________________________________

Date: ________________________________


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A S S o C i AT i o n o F r e F e r e e S l e i n S T e r B r A n C h ( A r l B )

purpose and objectives of the Arlb

To supply referees for all games played in the province •

To ensure each referee feels fulfilled in their role as a referee and that they perform to their •optimum level

To educate and observe referees to ensure their performances are in line with expectations•

the Arlb

officiate at 5,500 games a season•

have 155 active referees•

Carry out 500 assessments and 60 coaching reports•

turnover and targets

over 60 new referees are recruited each year and inducted on two new recruits courses – most •don’t make it as full members, or last past 1 year if they do.

in a successful year, a few more than the 20 or so who retire are added.•

The target is to have 220 referees by 2020.•

At the current rate, this target will not be met.•

the Solution

Attract more young referees by offering refereeing as a real alternative to playing or retiring.1.

ex-players often make the best referees, since they understand the game and have empathy with 2. what the teams are trying to achieve on the pitch. While it is not universally true that the best players make the best referees, it is true that some of the great referees were high level players in their day. international scrum half, Alain rolland, the former Blackrock College player, and now the World rugby referee manager is a great example. he took up the whistle when asked to referee a J4 game in Blackrock. There was no kit or whistle but, like hundreds of referees, he was immediately hooked. he worked hard over the years and like everyone else started off at J4 level before moving his way to the top, culminating in him refereeing the 2007 World Cup Final. learning to referee rugby games is largely a trial by fire process. referees need a whistle, a watch, an understanding of the law book, a thick skin, and a love for the game of rugby. Staying fit is important, but paramount is an ability to engage with players and coaches in a respectful,


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disciplined manner with integrity. This latter bit is often what makes the difference between good and great referees. The best source of new referees is the clubs. Clubs that have a refereeing culture tend to be more disciplined and understand law changes better and faster. By having referees in your club, you are making a positive contribution to rugby in your province. You are increasing your club’s stock and your knowledge library. referees stay involved and some go on to be major assets in the running of the club.

How do clubs find referees?

make it someone’s job in the club. Appoint a referee officer.•

Follow up on injured or lapsed players and offer refereeing as an option.•

have referees officiate at training games, let recruits try it out.•

have a “referee night” supported by ArlB with a career path presentation along with laws quiz •fun element.

make referees key members of your club.•

Go and ask.•


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How does the Arlb support referees?

The ArlB encourage all our members to retain an active membership in their clubs. This can involve refereeing friendly fixtures and underage games. They can be useful sounding boards to coaches on how certain aspects of the game are likely to be refereed and can sometimes help in training sessions. The ArlB continue to support our members with more formal education. This is delivered through area meetings, coaching and regular assessment.

leinster have five area representatives:

Paddy Curran

Tom Colton

John Dunne

Joe mcDermott

Kevin mcDermott

They run monthly workshops and meetings across the province. There is also huge support from Sean Gallagher in the irFu, who facilitates meetings with excellent presentations from the national Panel referees.

There is an assessment team of some 30 volunteers, all experienced former referees, who regularly assess referees with the objective of helping them to become better. Additionally, there are about 10 volunteers, who have refereed at a high level, who provide coaching input.

All of this to produce the best referees that we can to referee in your club.


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n o T e S :


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n o T e S :


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Newstead Building AUCD, Belfield, Dublin 4Phone: 00353 1 269 3224Fax: 00353 1 269 3142Email: [email protected]: www.leinsterrugby.ie

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