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Rugby has always been a big part of my life, from having a dad actively involved in the local club to going to the Principality stadium to watch the six nations most years, my love for the sport has grown and grown. My dad was chairman of minis and juniors' section of my local club while also being fixture secretary for the committee and I often helped him with this role so have experience in this side of being a team coordinator. I grew up going to watch my brother who played so I have seen firsthand the benefits of being part of a club, however never properly played as there wasn't many women's teams around me. This is something I don't want other girls to experience. I already knew joining Leeds that I would join the rugby society but then experiencing the freshers fair and give it a go’s I felt completely confident in my choice that luuwrufc was an inclusive society and was accessible to anyone and I would love the opportunity to continue this for the new freshers.

My choice to go for 3rd team coordinator then came from this, as I felt so welcome in the 3s and it allowed me to make friends while enjoying the sport. I would like to do this for next group of devs, to help people learn the game of rugby and get them to a place where they are able to get game time and enjoy the game of rugby like everyone in the society does. Due to a reoccurring ankle injury playing has become more difficult for me however I do not want to lose my involvement in this society. Due to playing less, I'll have more time to give to this role and make sure I am a fully present member of the society that people feel they can speak to. I want people to be able to experience what I did this year with this club and continue its growth of new players.

My focus this year as 3rd team coordinator would be based on getting game time as soon as it is safe to do so. I believe that game time provides the excitement of rugby and gives a purpose for training. Whether this is achieved by looking into other possibilities than Wednesday fixtures, for example finding a Sunday league to possibly join to achieve frequent games. Another option we have is to use Game On. This is a RFU initiative which helps ensure games can be played even when teams can't field 15 players. This is something that I have researched as I know in the latter half of this year, this was an issue for the devs. My brothers’ club at home used to use this so I have seen firsthand how effective this can be. I would also look to line up friendlies v other unis development teams to run aside when the 1s/2s have fixtures. This leads me to my other focus of integrating the 3rd into the 2nds as hopefully the players from the development squad will look to progress into the 2nds and even potentially 1st team. Creating this integration from the beginning is integral to development. Whether this be going to watch the other games to see how the girls play or arranging away day games alongside the teams in the hope of helping the 3rds learn more about rugby and the rules. Watching the other teams play will further introduce the style in which we play with, which will hopefully support the development of all 3s players and make the transition into the 2s a lot less scary.

To round it all up, I believe I am a good fit for this role as I know the rules and would feel comfortable explaining them to any new members. I study mathematics, which requires me to be very organised which is essential for this role as I have seen when helping my dad. As a chatty and bubbly person, I am highly approachable so feel any members of the team would feel comfortable to come to be with any issues or queries they might have. I really hope my passion for rugby can influence others to love the game and luuwrufc as much as I do!

Thank you for considering me as your 3rd team coordinator :)

3rd Team coordinator
Proposed: Sophia Mehr
Seconded: Charlotte Tame

Some of you might not know me very well as I have only been at the club for a year, but you’ll be pleased to hear that it already takes up 80% of my personality and life. Playing in the devs, coming to socials and being a part of the club has honestly been the highlight of my week most weeks - clearly I need to get out more.

I want to be coordinator for the 3rd team because of how much fun I have had playing. I’m really grateful for all the hard work done this year by the committee to make it such a great experience for me, and such a good way to meet people and I would love the chance to do the same for other people next year.

Since the devs aren’t as competitive as the other teams I want to focus on encouraging as many people as possible to join and making sure that everyone is enjoying themselves with training and matches that I’ve loved doing this year. I know that this year was the largest group of rugby freshers the club has ever had and I really want to continue on that trajectory, getting as many people involved as we can. As part of this I want to offer a fitness class once a week at the Edge, open to all players. I’m confident this will mean that players bring friends along with them so we can boost recruitment with a gentle introduction to the team for people who have never played before and might be nervous about contact

Despite the massive intake this year I am aware that changes need to be made to the club to make it more inclusive. I really want to focus on that next year, particularly with the devs team since that is where new members often start if they haven’t played before. I will encourage players to bring along friends and make the sessions as accessible and welcoming as possible. Rugby has been such a great way for me to meet people and I want that for new members. I will also be committed to coming to all sessions (and of course pubs, clubs and socials!) so that I can be a friendly face and a point of contact for anyone who wants to raise any issues they’ve had or just have a chat.

I would continue training on a Sunday whenever it is possible as it was a great way to build the confidence of players about contact and the rules, as well as team building in a chill environment without the pressure of performing for a match or match selection

I’ve got good organisation skills and want to sort out as many matches as possible for the devs next season while making sure that people can play socially if they want and no one feels they’re playing before they are ready. As my dad loves to remind me, my geography degree is just colouring in, so I will have plenty of time to organise buses, training and other team activities. I am also not the most competitive person so I promise I will be focused on the team and not on improving my personal game to become the next Ellie Kildunne! I think that the low-stress, low-competitive vibe is important for the devs as confidence and fun is more important than the win so I can definitely keep a level (and civil) head on the sidelines.

Proposed: Gabriella Hrymajlo
Seconded: Sophia Mehr

Hi everyone! My name's Rose and I will be entering my fourth year next year and am looking for your vote of confidence in getting elected as third team coordinator for LUUWRUFC.

Despite being at the University of Leeds for a considerable amount of time, I have only been a member of the society for one short year. I know how it feels to be that nervous fresher standing on the pitch having no idea what is going, how to play rugby or even what the rules were. And yet the welcome I got at fresher’s fair from LUUWRUFC where I was reeled in with a fantastic rugby sales pitch, meant that I committed myself to staying for the entire duration of the academic year, and I have never been more grateful. I absolutely love rugby (despite been quite prone to dropping a ball or 3). I want to have a more active part in the society next year and a more active part in encouraging and maintaining our first-time participants.

I know that I may not be a too familiar face for some – although I have had a very active presence at training, missing only a few sessions (even turning up when I was off with an injury for 2 or so months), I have not been to many of the rugby socials (boo!! I know). I understand the importance of new freshers having a reliable presence for all aspects of society life. I have taken a step down from my professional endeavours in recent months to allow myself more time to focus on my personal interests, and that would be rugby of course! I will be an active presence at training and socials, working on maintaining close connections with other members of the society, including the committee.

In terms of my experience of team coordination, I have a wealth of it to draw on. In my professional life, outside of the academics, I am responsible for the solo running and organising of lifeguarding courses, training up adults and young adults in rescue techniques, CPR and first aid to take on roles of responsibility themselves in the professional world. I currently manage an open water swimming venue in which I am responsible for coordinating with staff on timetabling, corresponding with clients and organising the set up of events, managing the flow of money and keeping to a budget as well as being on the ground and reassuring new customers. In addition I have been a key part of the running of several small sports events where we have seen in excess of 200 participants at any one time. I understand the role and importance that organisation, communication and dedication have in contributing to the setting up of just one match.

If elected I have three main aims which I will work towards for the duration of the year

1. Encourage continued participation.

As part of the devs team this year, I noticed that from the second semester, participation rates dropped and there were considerably fewer participants compared to the first semester. We started with about 30-40, and by the end we had sessions where only 5-10 people were showing up. Although this is in part due to some of our fantastic team members taking up spots in the 2s team (and even some playing in 1s matches!), it was also because there are players who have unfortunately dropped out. I know how demoralising this can be, not only for a fellow player, but also for our coaches who dedicate their free time to helping us devs become good at rugby. I will work with players and make sure that I am a supportive presence in and out of training, this will work towards making sure we keep as many players as possible throughout the course of the year.

2. More game time!

I will build on Sophia’s hard work from this year and maintain and develop the relationships we have with other university rugby teams and their devs. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather this year, we didn’t have the game time that we wanted. By setting up dates in advance and coordinating with the team coach, I aim to maximise our 3rd team’s opportunity to play, and give all players the opportunity to get out onto the pitch and take part.
In addition, I know that we had a few opportunities this year to play practice matches on the astro, mostly on the weekends. I think this was excellent experience to prepare the 3rd team for a match so I will also work towards continuing this aspect of training for the devs where possible.
These will both give players much needed game time so that when members of our team are ready to progress to the 2nd team, they have that match experience to help bridge the gap between the two teams. With more opportunities to play I believe this will encourage continued participation from semester 1 to semester 2, for players who would’ve otherwise dropped out.

3. Team bonding experiences.

I am committed to increase the opportunities our third team has to socialise as part of a team and build bonds through the organisation of team bonding experiences. I know the connections I have made with my team mates have been invaluable, I want to build on that part of LUUWRUFC by working towards organising more of these experiences.

I believe being a veteran of a university student but a rugby fresher this year has given me a unique perspective and an opportunity to dedicate my time during my masters to what’s important (rugby obviously). I know how to balance academics with professional work and society life. I am committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment within LUUWRUFC, ensuring that every member feels valued and thrives.

Thank you for your consideration