FORRESTER are celebrating 25 years of junior rugby with a four-day summer camp at their Broomhouse headquarters for some of their 100-strong membership.
And the get-together also marks the 50th year of rugby involvement for the man who kicked off the project with a mini-section – Bill Smith. Currently the club's director of rugby, Smith, 66, believes Forrester were facing extinction if foresight was
not shown back in 1983.
"I realised that myself and other team-members were approaching the end of our playing careers at the same time. With very little rugby development work being done in a majority of schools at that time due to a dispute which saw teachers' restricting after-hours involvement I took on responsibilities myself.
"Fortunately I had good staff at my butcher's shop who allowed me to slip away when necessary and knock on the doors of headmistresses and headmasters offering to teach their pupils rugby.
"It was very different back then and, unlike today, nothing had to go through Active Sports Co-Ordinators. Eventually we had 18 primaries and four secondary schools attached to Forrester rugby club and I took the view that, if you put a jersey on a kids' back and gave him a game against another team, things would snowball because they'd tell their pals to come along too.
"I worked out also that, if we could get an initial 40 youngsters playing under a ten-year plan, then from primary four standard they would go on to enter our senior teams. One of those in that first group, Neil Gunderson, has gone on to become one of our present coaches while Kevin Robertson has given great service like his late dad, Jim.
"Other mainstays who have come through our ranks include the Panther brothers – Craig, Stuart and Alan," said Smith.
For many clubs such a structure alone would be sufficient but, for Smith's beloved Forrester, that was still not enough.
"We formed the React-2-Rugby charity and brought in a fund-raiser, Gerry Saunders, who has contributed £60,000 over three years. Having charitable status meant we could approach other charities for assistance including Scotland Against Drugs who saw rugby as an ideal alternative to having kids hanging around the streets.
"Even with such support we have to maintain our own fund-raising efforts so as not to be seen as over-reliant on charities. Events have included a successful sportsman's dinner which Scotland coach Frank Hadden addressed last winter." With all revenue streams being explored Forrester have also been able to appoint Richard Fleming as full-time development officer helped by 20 per cent funding from Scottish Rugby.
Also, SVQ student Niall Clawson is employed as a part-time rugby development officer under a West Edinburgh initiative involving Forrester, Craigmount, Queensferry and St Augustine's joining forces with Merchiston Castle School. Now progress is being translated to the senior side who, having gained promotion two seasons ago, finished third in Scottish Hydro Electric National League Division Two and are ready to move forward again.
"There is a lot happening on and off the pitch," says Smith, adding: "Our major benefactor and former player John Connor has given us such backing that he will shortly be opening a lounge in our new clubrooms named after him."
The Broomhouse playing fields are subject to massive redevelopment causing the club to be relocated by a few 100 yards.
"Meanwhile we started our season with a bonding weekend at Premiership outfit Kelso under the direction of head coach Dougie Dingwall and his new assistant, Andy Knight, who has signed up from Boroughmuir," Smith went on. "By the start of the leagues at the end of this month we will be well prepared under their guidance with three teams scheduled for action in addition to under-18s."
The full article contains 648 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
