This weeks entry is a wee bit late. During the off season period not much is happening in the Stoneham world. So i will take this oppurtunity to express my aspirations for the forthcoming year. Those of you who are looking from outside the club wont know the history of recent years, Stoneham has been a club under increasing pressure to succeed, simply because over the past 7 years our league campaigns have been sorely poor. Before the 2010/11 season Stoneham had one 2 league games in 6 years! A poor effort really. However, 2010/11 saw some upsets and shocks, winning 4 games and drawing one. A great achievemnet and our best performance for many a season. i will examine the history in the following paragraphs and examine some of the events that led to the poor performances.
Cause:
Stoneham RFC was created in 1979 under the name AC Delco RFC, a works club, a popular club with a nice home ground, Bar etc, however, 7 years ago, the company went into decline and the club was forced out of its home. It precipatated a decline in numbers as the club began their nomadic lifestyle, playing and training where they could for minimal cost. It was once said that Winning was easy, Losing is hard, and after a run of losses the club spiralled into a run of seasons withoput victories, languishing at the bottom of Hampshire 3, a league that no longer exists, the club was invited to leave the league system and enter the merit competition, after a fight they retained their place in the league system but needed numbers! a heavy recruitment drive saw myself among others join the club and begin the rebuilding process, i, myself was terribly unfit, could barely run around the field without collapsing into a big heap, but, i endured, i continued and fought to find my form, i believe that my rise to my best is similar to Stoneham. So, with increasing pressure, loss of players and an environment where the rugby fraternity was laughing at us, the team that hasn't won a game, that often took the field short of players. However, they have survived.
The future:
As Club Captain i have so many aspirations and dreams for this plucky club that has changed my life, Joining Stoneham Rugby has been the best decision of my life, the people that i have met have enriched my life, the rugby i have played has been some of the best i have ever played, it has been challenging, it has been rewarding and sometimes it has been disapointing! But, from the ashes a powerful team will rise, a true story of a phoenix! As a club we have entered into cup competitions for the first time in a while, and although realistically the EDU RFU junior vase may not be a winnable competition i often dream that it is, i have a fantasy of sorts of leading out Stoneham at Twickenham to compete for the trophy, it is not a pipe dream, it could become reality, certainly the more achievable goal of the Gales Hampshire Plate is a very winnable competition. But these are extras, the league campaign is a priority, and i firmly believe that within the club we have the talent, skill and ambition to achieve a high position if not win the thing.
How to win:
In my eyes how do we win the league? simply, learn to be a team, our best efforts last year which ultimately ended in defeat were Lytchett Minster (A) lost 33-5, and Chineham (A) lost 29-21, both these games saw a gargantuan defensive effort, but for 60 mins we defended defended battled, tackled until our shoulders were black, and it was oportunistic scores that sunk us. Those games saw a comeraderie, a determination a passion and a never say die attitude that we need in all our games. There is the strength and depth in the club that we need to be victorious, their is the mix of youth and experince, we just need to bring it together as one team, Stoneham could be the true underdog success story, and i hope these words will act as a rally cry to our boys, with only 6 weeks before the first whistle of the season we need to knuckle down and really work as a team.
It is our time, this season will be one of the greatest for this club, Now is our time, i feel sorry for the teams that will oppose us, they will not know what has hit them, i foresee devastation, i foresee stunned opposition and a club on the rise. Every player in this club has everything they need to succeed, they have the tools and the talent to play the best Rugby in this league! now is the time to rise from the ashes and WIN!!!!
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