Meeting held at Bootleggers.

All present, almost on time. Mandy joined virtually as she was let down by Deutsche Bahn.

Generated by AI. Be sure to check for accuracy.

Meeting notes:

• Committee Member Introductions: Philippe facilitated a round of introductions among committee members, including Mandy, Jacob, Luca, Tierney, Sasha, Sophie, Hannah, Amanda, Simon, and Filip, allowing everyone to share their backgrounds, roles, and relevant experience within the club.
  • Personal Backgrounds Shared: Each committee member introduced themselves, mentioning their nationality, duration with the club, and their current role, such as president, head of men's, social secretary, communications secretary, club captain, and treasurer.
• Men's Team Updates and Scheduling: Jacob provided updates on the men's team, including the official game schedule, coordination with referees, pitch conditions, and ongoing efforts to organise matches and training, with input from Simon, Amanda, and Mandy.
  • Game Schedule Finalisation: Jacob confirmed receipt of the official game schedule from RD, noted adjustments to avoid conflicts with school weekends, and shared the schedule with team members for coordination.
  • Referee Arrangements: Jacob reached out to Mike Hawkins and Aidan regarding refereeing, with the club agreeing to cover referee expenses for friendly matches, and explored the possibility of using club members as referees when external options were unavailable.
  • Pitch Condition and Liaison: The committee discussed the poor state of the pitch due to weather and ongoing construction, with Mandy and Philippe agreeing to coordinate with DTU liaison and campus services to address the issue and consider alternative arrangements.
  • Player Meeting Outcomes: Jacob reported on a recent players' meeting where Lorenzo was elected captain, and emphasised the need for increased player commitment, attendance at training, and contributions to club activities.
  • Subs Collection and Membership Management: Jacob and Simon discussed the ongoing collection of membership fees (subs), the use of the club website for tracking payments, and strategies to encourage timely payment, including potential late fees and internal deadlines.
• Women's Team Updates and Social Initiatives: Sophie and Sasha provided updates on the women's team, including training logistics, team-building events, gym access, and the formation of a social task force, with Mandy and other committee members contributing to planning and coordination.
  • Training Arrangements: The women's team is currently training indoors due to pitch conditions, with access to the DTU gym on Tuesdays, and Mandy agreed to explore expanding gym access to additional days and clarify arrangements with DTU Sports.
  • Team-Building Weekend: A team-building weekend is scheduled for the 20th of March, with a summer house booked to accommodate around 40 participants, and a dedicated group organising the event to distribute responsibilities.
  • Social Task Force Formation: A social task force was established within the women's team to organise events and reduce the burden on committee members, aiming to increase engagement and shared responsibility.
  • Women's Rugby Development: Discussions included strategies for developing women's rugby, such as collaborating with youth teams, organising joint events, and increasing visibility through friendly matches and social media.
• Exiles–Gentofte Partnership Proposal: Mateus and Sandro, supported by Amanda and other committee members, presented a structured proposal for a formal partnership between Exiles and Gentofte, outlining mutual challenges, potential benefits, and next steps for collaboration.
  • Partnership Rationale and Challenges: Mateus described the high player turnover at Exiles and the need for a sustainable pipeline of Denmark-based players, while Sandro explained Gentofte's challenge of retaining youth players transitioning to senior rugby.
  • Proposed Collaboration Structure: The proposal included joint development games, structured practice exchanges, and the creation of a clear pathway for youth players to transition from Gentofte to Exiles, with an emphasis on formalising the arrangement to ensure continuity.
  • Women's Rugby and Inclusion: The partnership aims to support women's rugby development by organising joint events, facilitating collaboration between clubs, and providing role models for younger players.
  • Next Steps and Club Commitment: The committee agreed that the next step is to meet with Gentofte representatives, present the proposal, listen to their needs, and refine the plan, with Amanda acting as the club's official liaison and the committee expressing full support.
• Social Media, Branding, and Communication: Hannah and other committee members discussed strategies for social media management, branding, content creation, and communication channels, focusing on balancing competitive and social messaging and ensuring member consent for media use.
  • Social Media Strategy: Hannah outlined plans to unify branding across platforms, coordinate with the club photographer for new content, and balance posts between competitive achievements and social activities to attract both new and existing members.
  • Consent and Privacy: The committee agreed to respect members' preferences regarding the use of their images in social media content, with Hannah collecting consent and encouraging private communication for those who prefer not to be featured.
  • Communication Channels: The group discussed the use of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram for different audiences, aiming to streamline communication and ensure that both current and former members are kept informed about events and opportunities.
• Shed Cleaning and Club Maintenance: The committee, led by Philippe and supported by other members, planned a spring cleaning event for the club's shed, including maintenance tasks, social incentives, and the allocation of responsibilities for organising the event.
  • Event Planning and Responsibilities: The committee agreed to organise a shed cleaning day, combining it with a BBQ and social activities, with the social secretaries tasked with coordinating the event and encouraging member participation.
  • Maintenance Issues: Discussions included the need to replace the shed door, address safety concerns, and coordinate with DTU regarding funding or support for necessary repairs.
• Touch Judge Requirements and Training: Simon and Jacob addressed the club's obligations to provide touch judges for matches, outlined upcoming training opportunities, and discussed strategies to ensure compliance with Rugby Denmark's requirements.
  • Touch Judge Training: A touch judge course will be held on the 19th of March at Lund B Stadium, open to all club members and potentially to other clubs, with the aim of certifying enough members to meet match requirements.
  • Compliance and Coordination: The committee discussed the importance of having sufficient certified touch judges to avoid fines and ensure smooth match operations, with Jacob apologising for communication lapses and agreeing to coordinate future training with both men's and women's teams.
• Sponsorship and Fundraising Initiatives: The committee, with input from Mateus, Simon, and others, reviewed ongoing sponsorship efforts, discussed strategies for attracting new sponsors, and considered leveraging club events and DTU connections for fundraising.
  • Sponsorship Packages and Benchmarks: Simon provided details on existing sponsorship arrangements, such as the annual contribution from Bootleggers, and the committee discussed standardising sponsorship packages and pricing.
  • Event-Based Fundraising: Mateus suggested using high-visibility events like rookie day for targeted advertising and sponsorship opportunities, leveraging the club's connection to DTU and its large student base.
  • Content and Historical Materials: The committee agreed to consolidate historical club materials, presentations, and media to support sponsorship pitches and enhance the club's public profile.
• Rugby Denmark Feedback and Tournament Structure: The committee discussed feedback for Rugby Denmark, focusing on transparency, inclusiveness, and the need for improved tournament structures, particularly for women's and grassroots rugby.
  • Feedback Submission: Members agreed to provide feedback to Rugby Denmark regarding the need for more transparent financial reporting, fairer resource allocation, and better support for women's and grassroots rugby.
  • Tournament Structure Concerns: Concerns were raised about inconsistent tournament structures, lack of inclusiveness, and the impact of these issues on club participation and development.
• Next Meeting Scheduling: The committee agreed to schedule the next meeting for mid-May, following a discussion led by Philippe and supported by other members, to allow time for several matches and events to take place.
  • Meeting Frequency: The committee typically meets every two to three months, with additional meetings scheduled around major events such as ED&D and after Easter.
  • Next Meeting Date: The next meeting was tentatively set for mid-May, after a few men's games and women's tournaments have occurred.

Follow-up tasks:

• Game Schedule Communication: Share the updated calendar of games with Luca and ensure any changes are communicated promptly to relevant parties. (Jakub)
• Pitch Access and Condition: Write a letter to DTU campus service stressing the importance of regaining access to the pitch and clarifying alternatives if it is not available, coordinating with Mandy. (Jakub, Mandy)
• Shed Cleaning and Maintenance: Organise a spring cleaning event for the shed, including disinfecting the fridge and addressing the door issue, with beers and BBQ provided as part of the event. (Sasha, Thierry)
• Shed Door Replacement: Contact DTU to arrange for a new door for the shed, ensuring it is secure and has a combination lock, and clarify payment responsibility. (Jakub)
• Touch Judge Certification: Promote and ensure maximum attendance at the touch judge course on Thursday, 19 March at Lyngby Stadium, including advertising internally and, if appropriate, externally. (Jakub)
• Touch Judge Course Scope: Confirm with Rugby Denmark whether the touch judge course also covers sevens matches and communicate the outcome to the committee. (Mathieu)
• Gentoft Partnership Meeting: Reach out to Gentoft to arrange a meeting with their coaches and chairman to discuss the partnership proposal and inform the committee of the meeting details. (Sandro)
• Sponsorship Materials and Pricing: Share the sponsorship pitch and e-mail template with the committee and, with Simon, determine and communicate the appropriate sponsorship pricing packages. (Thierry, Simon)