As Chairman of the Underage, I would like to express best wishes to all involved in Shannon Rugby Football Club’s Underage section especially the players for the forthcoming season.
 
Shannon Underage caters for a wide range of ages, Under 6 to Under 18.  I hope all age groups feel at home in Shannon, be it starting off in this wonderful game or the young men and women who have matured in our club and are now entering adulthood.

A special word of thanks must go to those who have been directly involved in training these young people. I wish you all every success for the season ahead and may you never lose your enthusiasm.

I look forward in leading the back room team of Ger Bowman, Dan Graham, Breda MacAteer,  Jane Bradshaw Ryan,  Pat Downey,  Martin Power and Ger Mullaly.  I would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the great bargains offered in playing gear and club attire in the Club Shop and wish Pat a profitable season as any profit made in the shop goes back into the Underage development.

The IRFU have foisted upon us the task of registering every underage player. This is a very big task as the IRFU have given the clubs very tight deadlines to achieve this.  Please assist in any way you can to reach our goal of registering every youth player in September.

The “6 to 6 nations” programme has been introduced and we wish David O’Shea every success implementing this in during the season. There has already been a presentation by John Lacey, and his colleagues, which was well attended by the youth section coaches.

Our thanks to Tom O’Sullivan who has taken on the onerous task as North Munster Branch Youth Delegate and should a fixture be agreed during the season please contact him directly.

A very big thank you must go to those involved in the maintenance of the pitches in Coonagh, they are in great shape and hopefully the weather will remain kind to us. However, we must remember we are without Thomond Park, for the season, pre planning will be required and I ask that all coaches liase with me prior to finalising venues for matches.

Finally and most importantly we would encourage you, the parents, to get involved in your rugby club this season.  There are countless tasks to be carried out and the more willing hands that are available the more evenly burdens can be spread.  After all it is as much your sons/daughters club as anyone else.

I look forward with great optimism to the season ahead and we will do our best to keep our word to the new President, Tommy Rohan, who has already been seen supporting club teams at every level by developing talents of the players and whilst winning trophies is important it comes second to assisting our players to maturing into happy and self confident rugby players within the special inclusive atmosphere, that is Shannon RFC.
 

Michael Ryan

Underage Chairman

Shannon RFC