Being the Chairman of a Rugby League club within a development area for the sport is both rewarding and challenging, rolled into one.  On the one hand, you are actively involved in growing the game and introducing it to a new generation of people outside of the traditional heartland of the sport.  On the other, you do not have access to the same level of support and infrastructure which other more established clubs would have.

The ethos within the North Derbyshire Chargers (and other community clubs) is one based on participation and enjoyment; we are first and foremost concerned with introducing the sport to the area, with the hope that eventual success will follow.  However, to be fair, our Under 15s team are currently having an outstanding first season within the Yorkshire Junior Amateur Rugby League.

We are committed to providing training and playing opportunities for anyone interested in learning and participating within the game, working with other clubs within the Midlands Rugby League to put together festivals and events to support each other through this ongoing development phase.

However, we are reliant upon armies of volunteers to help us with all aspects of the club.  Some in official roles such as Coach, Team Manager or First Aider - others on a more ad-hoc basis who might help us with fencing off playing areas for a festival, handing out flyers to work colleagues or welcoming visiting players/families to the ground at a home game.

The club are actively seeking to fill a number of official roles within the club.  Top of our list currently are a suitably qualified/experienced Coach and Team Manager to assist in the development of our Open Age team.  We would also be especially interested in hearing from anyone willing to help out with our Under 11s Team Manager and Volunteer Co-ordinator roles.  We have already developed an outline job description for our Open Age Coach vacancy (see Job Description attached to the bottom of this post) and will be posting more information on the other vacancies soon.

For those who have previously participated in the sport, this is an excellent opportunity to share your passion for, and experience of, the game in a new area.  For those who have never been involved in either this sport or any organised club before, there is a great deal of satisfaction in working with a number of interested individuals and helping them to come together as a team.

I'm more than happy to speak to potential players, volunteers or officials at any time and can be contacted for a quick chat or a serious discussion via email at chairman@chargersrl.co.uk or via my mobile number, but would prefer contact via email first.

[Source:  North Derbyshire Chargers]