Formed 2004 ... Herts 7s U14 Runners-up 2005 ... North Herts U14 team, Herts Youth Games 2005 runners-up (coached by Letchworth)... Herts Superteams U14 Runners-up 2005 ... Herts SuperTeams "Fairplay" winners 2006 ... Rochford 10s U17 Champions 2006 ... East Midlands 10s U17 Runners-up 2007 ... East Midlands 10s U17 "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... National 10s U17 5th place and "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... Herts 7s U17 Plate runners-up 2007 ... National 7s U17 Plate winners 2007 ... RFU "President's XV" Award winners 2007 ... Herts Superteams winners 2007 ... Midlands 10s U18 Runners-up 2008 ... National 10s U18 4th place 2008 ... North Herts U11 team, Herts Youth Games 2008 runners-up (coached by Letchworth girls) ... London and SE 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2008 ... Herts 7s U18s runners-up 2008 ... National 7s U18s quarter-finalists 2008 ... Gloucester City 10s U18 Bowl runner-up (6th) 2009 ... Worthing 10s U18 Plate runner-up 2009 ... National 7s U18 Plate winners 2009... Worthing 10s U15 Plate winners 2010... Worthing 10s U18 Shield winners 2010... Herts 7s U15 and U18 Bowl runners-up 2010... National 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2010...

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

"Title IX for the UK"? Should sport equality be a legal requirement?

An interesting article appeared today about how to achieve a more level playing field in UK sport, and in particular whether we can learn from a US initiative called Title IX.

This was an amendment made to higher education law in the US back in 1972. Quite simply, it said that when it came to funding and participation no universities could discriminate between sports based on sex. Actually (needless to say) its a bit more complex than that in practice, and controversial, but it is widely believed to be the reason why female sports participation has grown by up to nine times since 1972, and why female US athletes won more medals in this years Olympics than men.

The question is whether we need something similar over here. Obviously the US is a very different place - university sport is hugely important over there, whereas in this country to say that "no-one cares" would be a gross understatement - primary school sport probably gets more interest and coverage.

So, while a Title IX applying to university sport funding would be a nice thing, its pretty unlikely that it would have the sort of effect it has had in the US. However there are plenty of other sports bodies that are publicly funded which could be put under similar requirements - Sports Councils, for example, or individual sport clubs and governing bodies. So, if a club received a grant, it would have to comply with Title IX-type regulations.

The article asks for feedback as well, so what do you think?

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Congratulations to North Herts Crusaders

Congrats to anyone involved with North Herts Crusaders (men's) RL team - East League winners in their first ever season, which is pretty amazing. Okay, not a women's team so slightly off topic, but major regional titles don't come to this area that often in any sport, leave alone one based in Letchworth.

The team was based round a pretty solid core of pretty talented players from Letchworth RFC (which bodes well for them next season I guess), so they were hardly new to this sort of sport (though RLis a bit different) but still...pretty impressive.

The scoreline (63-30) was even more remarkable considering the team they beat certainly were not newcomers to the game.

So well done everyone - and worth a reminder that if enough women over the age of 16 wanted to play the game NHC have said that they would be welcome.


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