Chairman’s 2024 Season In Review

Having been on the committee for many years, and part of the Club for even longer, it seems strange writing my first EOS review as the Club’s Chair! Whilst this may sound like a cliché; I have based my end of season review around a quotation from the poem: ‘No-one is an island, Entire of itself; Everyone is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.’ We are so fortunate at the Exiles to have such amazing people involved in helping to shape the club and drive it forward – from committee members to coaches, to our volunteers and player parents, and finally, to all our players across our seven teams – I thank you all for your effort, commitment, dedication, and support. We are building something special at the Exiles which goes way beyond the success that all our teams have had this year.

Personal highlights for me from this season are however:

• Our U11 team understanding formations, defensive schemes, zone coverage and a 20 play playbook (with audibles!) and of course for winning the Storm Bowl in July!
• Seeing some of our U14 and U17 flag players step up and offer to referee with confidence at several of the Bowl games we attended (where many adult coaches from other teams were hiding away so they didn’t have to!)
• Our U16 contact team reforming, starting the season with 13 players (and one coach) and ending the season with 29 players (and four coaches) and seeing the development of the team throughout the season.
• The increased number of coaches at the women’s team and seeing players flourish and develop as a result and of course finishing 3rd in the NWFL 7 a side Finals in Chester.
• The start of our adult flag team and the real success both in recruitment and product on the field – watching the sheer enjoyment from players (a number of whom are experiencing a reincarnation of being able to play a version of the sport they so loved to play, in a previous life!)
• Our adult contact team turning the tide; proving that the impossible can be done and changing the trajectory of where the team is headed.

Club culture, ethos, vision, and values are key – we are getting there, step by step; slowly but surely. Compassion, kindness, humility, inclusivity, and being family & community-orientated are viewed by some as signs of weakness – they aren’t! They are signs of strength and should be at the core of everything we do.

Don’t mistake that as a Club we aren’t also striving for excellence in everything we do; because we are! Our goal is to carefully balance our club culture with having all our teams playing at the very highest of levels. We want to build our Club the ‘right’ way; having high expectations and aspirations for success for all our teams; balanced with a clear vision, a shared purpose, a diverse and inclusive culture, a collaborative and supportive environment, and a continuous learning and improvement mindset.

Claire Pester

Club Chairman