March Bears
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March Bears
RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB
March Bears RUFC will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018 and
continues to focus upon being a family orientated club that serves its local
community. Rugby Club Magazine recently caught up with their President
Barry Feetham to find out more about the club.
He told us, “I have been involved
with March Bears for 40 years, I started
playing rugby at March Hereward
secondary Modern school
for boys in 1966 when
I was 11 years old.
March Bears was
formed in 1968
by old pupils,
teachers and
people who
enjoyed the
sport
of
rugby.”
“A lot of
my
school
friends played
for the Bears so
I started playing
around 1976. It is a
very friendly, social
and family ordinated
club and I became 2nd
team captain 1984-1987, again 1988-
1990 and 1994-1997. I have held various
66 Issue 73
positions within the club and still do
(groundsman, bar manager). In 2007 I
was nominated as Club President,
and I am very proud to say
I still am President of
March Bears Rugby
Club.
“The last five
to six years has
been
most
challenging,
e n d e d
up
being
“whipping
boys” within
the
league
structure
for
several
seasons,
prior
to the 2016-2017
season the players
requested a meeting
with me to discuss the future
of the club, moral was at an all-time
low, the players asked if we could drop a
league and play teams of equal standing
so we could re-build as a club.
“After a few weeks of telephone
calls to various people within the
rugby organisation in Eastern County’s
and Cambridgeshire we were placed
in Eastern Counties 3 West. A former
“March Bear” Tracey Baxter was told
that we were looking for a coach, was
introduced to the players and outlined
his plan for coaching the players.
“Tracey’s coaching was an instant
hit with the players; this was backed up
with the results during 2016-2017 season,
winning the league and only losing
three games (unbeaten at home). The
big positive from this was our playing
membership increased from 17 at the
beginning of the season to 30 players.
“In 2017-2018 we are looking forward
to the new season; we are in Eastern
Counties 2 West, and we are looking to
have another successful season to carry
on the momentum from the previous
season.