Scottish Rugby has announced the winners of the Tennent’s Monthly Awards for February, as Lenzie RFC is named as Tennent’s Club of the Month.

Tracy Whiteside from Annan RFC is awarded with the Volunteer of the Month for her dedicated work at the club, while Highland take the award for Try of the Month.

The winners are all invited to the Scottish Rugby Club Awards Celebration, which will be held on 31 May at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh.

Lenzie RFC – Tennent’s Club of the Month – February 2019

Lenzie RFC are a strong example of a club who demonstrate whole club development, with a network of members helping to push the club forward.

The club are committed to ensuring that local rugby is a game for all. They organise a variety of teams from micro, mini and youth rugby sections with over 35 volunteer rugby coaches and 10 youth referees. Their boys S1, S2, S3, 16s and u18 teams all play in the Barbarian Conference League. They also run a u15s girls’ team who have regular Sunday fixtures.

Through their partnership with local secondary schools they have formed a ‘Youth Rugby Task Force’ who assist with the refereeing and coaching of the mini and younger teams.

Most members of this group have gone on to achieve their coaching and refereeing UKCC 1 or 2 qualifications. This has assisted with the support to their young teams and fostered a rugby ethos within the group to encourage the transition from youth to senior rugby.

Lenzie Rugby Club President Charlie Stewart said, “We are an ambitious community rugby club that has a ‘Rugby for All’ ethos throughout the mini, youth and senior sections.

“We work closely with local businesses and the community and we receive great support, which we appreciate.

“For us to be awarded Tennent’s Club of the Month is fantastic recognition for our club and we are all very proud.”

The first XV registered 139 points and conceded only seven during the month of February which saw them outright winners of Tennent’s Division 2.

The Lenzie women’s team participated in a Friday Touch tournament during February where they won the tournament after winning all their matches against Bishopton, Cartha QP, Whitecraigs and Cumbernauld.

Lenzie S1, S2 and Girls Under 15 won through to the semi-finals of the SP Energy Networks Warriors Championship after round two of qualifying at Scotstoun.

The club have committed to improving their rugby facilities, embarking on a major fundraising mission to upgrade changing, showering and clubhouse facilities.

They are working closely with local businesses and to that end we run four major annual community events attracting a variety of sponsorship and community involvement (fireworks, beer festival, sports dinner and local community gala day).

Volunteer of the Month Tracy Whiteside (Annan RFC)

As manager for Annan Warriors, (Annan Rugby’s Senior Women’s Team), Tracy is the key liaison between the team, coaches and club with regards to training timetables, fixture communication and events. She attends all games both home and away, providing vital support for the women and the coaching staff.

She is also responsible for (and very successful at) ensuring that membership subscriptions for her team are paid in full and on time.

Tracy’s presence at non-member events, typically running until the early hours of the morning, required her to secure monies and manage bar and security staff. Her willingness to step into this role significantly assisted the Club in restructuring its commercial operations, increasing profitability significantly on an annual basis.

Profitable performance of this side of this business is essential in helping to keep membership costs down, particularly for a growing youth section.

She organises all the club’s travel requirements, whether that be for the teams (not just her own team but senior males and up to 11 youth teams), club outings to international games at BT Murrayfield and Scotstoun and even taxis on days when the club hosts sponsors.

This involves negotiating the best rate for the club and on occasions, collecting payment from those travelling. Tracy has even completed her training to enable her to drive the ATI Community buses in an attempt to save the club from hiring more expensive alternatives from private companies.

On senior match days, Annan Rugby invites two or three of its youth players of primary school age to act as team mascot. This involves leading the team and carrying the ball out on to the pitch. Tracy ensures that every child wishing to do this gets a turn, usually at the same time as a close friend or family member, making the day even more special.

Tracy chaperones the kids on the day, helping with pitch-side duties and arranges for the team captain to present them with a memento of the day back at the clubhouse. Many of the team’s spectators might view this as a minor addition to the day’s events, but to the families and children involved it makes them feel truly part of the club.

Gary Coupland President of Annan RFC said, “Tracy is an active member of the club’s committee and is always one of the first to volunteer for anything that might need done, in addition to her main role as Warrior’s Team Manager, right down to painting a fence or taking a turn at washing strips!

Try of the Month

Highland were named as the recipients of the Try of the Month with an excellent team effort, which was finally scored by Rob Eatough against Whitecraigs.

Has your club scored a try worthy of nomination? Submit yours HERE

Each Tennent’s Club of the Month will receive £1000 worth of packaged product from Tennent’s portfolio for your clubhouse.

Clubs also receive a table for ten to attend the end of season club awards, plus up to £500 for travel expenses to attend the evening.

At the end of the season, Club of the Month winners will be shortlisted for the Tennent’s Club of the Year award. The winner will be announced at the Club Awards with the winning club receiving the Tennent’s Club of the Season Trophy.