Folkestone Rugby Club

GENERAL TEAM INFO
Rugby is an all-inclusive sport and at Folkestone Rugby Club we welcome both new and experienced players from the under 6 age group upwards. New joiners can turn-up to training at the time and place detailed below and should introduce themselves to the officials for their respective age group. We take a player-focused approach to develop teamwork, respect, discipline, technical ability and social skills through RFU approved training techniques developed mainly to ensure that players have fun; all of which is delivered by RFU qualified coaches and assistants.

SIGN-UP TO THE RFU'S GMS SYSTEM - GET YOUR FREE RFU ID
All parents/carers and players must be affiliated with our club through the RFU's GMS system. Registration is simple and free. Click the link above and follow the simple how-to guide now. Parents/carers should affiliate their child with the club every season.

The under 7 and 8 age groups train together and play tag rugby to develop basic skills before progressing to contact later on. A diagram showing the progression of rules at each age group can be found here.

New joiners should contact the Parent Representative or other team Official for their respective age group using the contact details further down this page to check when and where their initial taster session would take place. Most questions will be answered in our FAQs below:

FAQS - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT AGE GROUP SHOULD MY CHILD BE IN?
Players from the Under 8's age group are 7-8 year olds that are in Year 3 at school and must have already reached the age of 7 as of 1st September.

ARE THERE SEPARATE TEAMS FOR GIRLS?
Girls and boys play in the same teams until they reach the under 12's age group.

WHERE & WHEN IS TRAINING?
Unless there is a fixture or otherwise stated, this team trains at home every Sunday from 10am to 11am between September and May. Changes to the schedule will be communicated in advance to parents/guardians/players. If you are new or looking to join, please contact your Parents Representative to check where training will take place next.

WHEN ARE COMPETITIVE MATCHES PLAYED?
Competitive games are played once children reach the under 7's age group. Match details will be announced at training or via the team’s communication channels. Please make sure you have passed your contact details to the Parents Representative for your child’s age group.

WHO ARE THE OFFICIALS FOR THIS TEAM?
Scroll down to the CONTACT section in this page to see who the Coaches, Parents Representatives or Team Managers are.

SHOULD PARENTS STAY AND WATCH THEIR CHILDREN PLAY/TRAIN?
Rugby is a contact sport and injuries can from time to time occur during training and in games, therefore we request that parents remain with their child during these times. Should there be a special need to leave your child at training or a game, this must be agreed in advance between yourself and one of the team Officials.

ARE THERE TOILETS?
Toilets are available in the clubhouse.

ARE THERE CHANGING ROOMS?
There are changing rooms on the ground floor in the club house however these are allocated on the day and are prioritised to playing teams. Where possible, players should arrive dressed and ready to play.

WHAT IS PITCHERO?
Pitchero is the online platform we use to host our website and to manage our membership. Before becoming a member, please click here to join Folkestone Rugby Club on Pitchero. Children under the age of 14 are unable to create their own user account. The parent/guardian should register with their own details and then apply for the PARENT role of their child(ren). Once you have signed-up and linked your child to their team, please install and sign-in to the free Pitchero Club App on your mobile device to stay up-to-date with club news, communications and events. If you run into any problems whilst trying to sign-up please contact your team’s Parent Representative.

WHAT DOES IT COST TO JOIN?
We offer 2 free taster training sessions to make sure players enjoy themselves and want to return before having to commit. Before purchasing your membership, please follow the instructions above to join our Pitchero club website. Our Youth Membership requires at least one adult parent/guardian to be a paid-up club member (Social Member, Vice President or Senior Player). Parents/guardians who are paid-up members should purchase our Youth Player Add-Ons from the Membership section of our online shop. For more information on membership and costs, please speak to your team’s Parent Representative or email our Membership Secretary.

SIGN-UP TO THE RFU'S GMS SYSTEM - GET YOUR FREE RFU ID
All parents/carers and players must be affiliated with our club through the RFU's GMS system. Registration is simple and free. Click the link above and follow the simple how-to guide now. Parents/carers should affiliate their child with the club every season.

WHAT KIT WILL THEY NEED?
Our under 6/7/8 age groups play non-contact tag rugby so protective gear or specialist kit isn't required at this level however it can be worn and purchased via the Youth Kit Shop. Players should wrap-up appropriately for the weather conditions in clothes that are ok to get muddy. Rugby boots with studs are preferred however short-studded moulded football-style boots and trainers can be worn when the weather is dry and if the ground is hard. Kit can also be purchased via the Youth Kit Shop once they are sure they want to commit to joining. Players should bring a water bottle to stay hydrated during training.

WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
You will find us at the New Burlington Ground, Newington, Folkestone. Simply put CT18 8BH in your Sat Nav.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
Please contact the Parents Representative, Team Manager or Coach from your child’s age group if you have any questions (contact details listed below). Once you have visited the club, please offer your email and mobile number to your parent representative so that we can keep you up to date on any notices, news and upcoming events.