How do we make the Vikings the focus of Widnes?

[ozviking]

It's no secret that I hate those people on here who in any thread always want to favourably compare us to others. I'm accused by those people of being negative and counter productive to the Widnes cause. In turn I think they have nothing actually to say other than denegrade other clubs, players, supporters and the RFL. Well here's a chance for you to prove me wrong.

Manxviking said in a previous thread: League's problem is that it needs a groundswell within the amateur game before a pro team will ever be popular in the south. Which is the problem for Widnes too - demopgraphic changes mean the town isn't the RL town it was in the 70's and 80's with a lot more children preferring soccer now.

So, what do we have to do to make Widnes Vikings a focus for the people of Widnes? What I mean is, back when I was a kid, not only did we play rugby more than soccer, but even my grandmother used to know the team. She didn't go to the games but read about them in the 'weekly rag' and knew that "A.Player" was such and suches son, or was going out with somebody's daughter. Typical of that time, I suppose, when everyone knew everyone else.

Have things changed so much in that regard? I still hear about people that I knew from School and people on here and on social networking sites like FaceBook still refer to the characters that are known throughout the town.

TV and newspapers have made the soccer stars into Gods and kids look up to them. I said elsewhere that we do not promote the "stars" who represent our town now, but prefer to talk about Offiah, Sorensen, Tony Myler, JD and so on.. Yes we should celebrate those players and that team but it simply doesn't relate to what we have now.

So the question is: How do you think we should promote The Vikings to become the representative team of Widnes? So that the players are known, the team is respected and the people of the twon are proud of them. Maybe then the number of spectators at games will grow.

Okay who wants to start this positive thread? Maybe at the end of it maybe we can send the thread to our marketing department with all the good ideas, eh?

Cheers
Ged

[life is peachy]

I put a rugby ball in my sons cott when he was a baby he is now 5 and trains with moorfield. The biggest problem is schools, in his primary school they don't even have a rugby ball .but to add to that all he does in p. E is dance based exercise so the kids I feel are not getting into sport/ rugby at all, they do offer footbball coaching on a friday at £80.00 for a ten week course.
I took it upon myself to get him involved and have allready noticed his confidence , team work, etc develop more.
What the vikings need to do is open up a rugby school using volunteers from the college or somewhere and get into the schools and start by being more pro active in the community using youth clubs as well for promotion.

That's my view anyway.

[RB]

At your son's age and my son's age I'm not even sure schools do football.
Everton have a scheme called mini kickers where they set up and just invite anyone to turn up and have a go.
Widnes could try to do something simliar. You have to get kids young.
Moorfield, HFH, West Bank all seem to be trying hard with the very young even if Widnes set up a mini rugby for a few weeks and then directed kids to the clubs it would be a bonus all around.

[Peter]

At your son's age and my son's age I'm not even sure schools do football.
Everton have a scheme called mini kickers where they set up and just invite anyone to turn up and have a go.
Widnes could try to do something simliar. You have to get kids young.
Moorfield, HFH, West Bank all seem to be trying hard with the very young even if Widnes set up a mini rugby for a few weeks and then directed kids to the clubs it would be a bonus all around.

Mini Rugby is quite big round here. My local club runs 3 under 15 teams.  Sadly, all RU!

[ozviking]

Mini Rugby is quite big round here. My local club runs 3 under 15 teams.  Sadly, all RU!

So how do we reverse that?

I was thinking more of genrating a 'civic pride' with the vikings as a spearhead, for want of a better phrase. But kids need to be involved too.

In the  70's I always fet the team was "fighting" for us on the field. Can we regenerate the feeling that "We are Widnes and we'll show you!" ?
 

[Huggybear]

TIW membership fee goes to the local amateur game doesn't it?

[ozviking]

TIW membership fee goes to the local amateur game doesn't it?

I know, let's ruin another thread..... YAWN!....

[bulldog]

And what are you actually doing for local sport OZ? You turned your back on the town and why are you so anti trust? what could they have done to offend you all those thousands of miles away?

[Bruce Champion]

The game is different now, those names you mentioned were some of the biggest in the game at the time.  Nowadays players rarely stay at clubs beyond a couple of years in this league, that won't change until we're back in SL.  I like the idea of junior clubs at the rugby club to create interest long term, as a level 2 coach I'd even put my hand up myself.

Schools are the key - having had to speak to PE teachers regarding player recruitment etc.  if they're not interested in RL you have no chance!

[mick george]

Lets not blame the schools cos when i started to play RL was in junior school then when you went to the seoir school you played union, the only way to play RL was to sign up for one of the may teams in the town. i might add that this was the system in the 70's and we still managed to have a team that won trophies and that was constantly appearing at Wembely.

I think its a catch 22 system in that people wont notice or go and watch the game unless we have a competitive team that is locking horns with the big boys.
Plus the fact that football is so easy to watch and vey well promoted that the youngsters take more intrest in the round ball instead of the oval one.

Does anyone have an answer prolly not

[Pepe Le Pew]

It's no secret that I hate those people on here who in any thread always want to favourably compare us to others. I'm accused by those people of being negative and counter productive to the Widnes cause. In turn I think they have nothing actually to say other than denegrade other clubs, players, supporters and the RFL. Well here's a chance for you to prove me wrong.

Manxviking said in a previous thread: League's problem is that it needs a groundswell within the amateur game before a pro team will ever be popular in the south. Which is the problem for Widnes too - demopgraphic changes mean the town isn't the RL town it was in the 70's and 80's with a lot more children preferring soccer now.

So, what do we have to do to make Widnes Vikings a focus for the people of Widnes? What I mean is, back when I was a kid, not only did we play rugby more than soccer, but even my grandmother used to know the team. She didn't go to the games but read about them in the 'weekly rag' and knew that "A.Player" was such and suches son, or was going out with somebody's daughter. Typical of that time, I suppose, when everyone knew everyone else.

Have things changed so much in that regard? I still hear about people that I knew from School and people on here and on social networking sites like FaceBook still refer to the characters that are known throughout the town.

TV and newspapers have made the soccer stars into Gods and kids look up to them. I said elsewhere that we do not promote the "stars" who represent our town now, but prefer to talk about Offiah, Sorensen, Tony Myler, JD and so on.. Yes we should celebrate those players and that team but it simply doesn't relate to what we have now.

So the question is: How do you think we should promote The Vikings to become the representative team of Widnes? So that the players are known, the team is respected and the people of the twon are proud of them. Maybe then the number of spectators at games will grow.

Okay who wants to start this positive thread? Maybe at the end of it maybe we can send the thread to our marketing department with all the good ideas, eh?

Cheers
Ged

The only thing that will make most kids get involved with the club again is to have a high profile SL club in the town again. Until that happens, if it ever does, it will be a struggle to motivate youngsters, and families, into getting involved in the game in the way they once were.

[mick george]

The only thing that will make most kids get involved with the club again is to have a high profile SL club in the town again. Until that happens, if it ever does, it will be a struggle to motivate youngsters, and families, into getting involved in the game in the way they once were.

Spot on Pepe

Fits with my catch 22 senario

[ozviking]

I disagree about catch-22. But it requires a huge effort on everyone's part to re-build the town's perception of Widnes Vikings and the town itself.

Its not just a vikings issue, the council needs to be involved, probably local police, weekly rags everyone.

Instead of gloom - and putting it all in the too hard basket - let's have some real ideas. We can hardly complain about the profile of the club if we have no ideas on how to fix it.

** and if you wanna get personal, instead, bring it on, but do it using your real name and by pm please. Don't waste everyone's time with your petty snide remarks. **

[Glynn]

I disagree about catch-22. But it requires a huge effort on everyone's part to re-build the town's perception of Widnes Vikings and the town itself.

Its not just a vikings issue, the council needs to be involved, probably local police, weekly rags everyone.

Instead of gloom - and putting it all in the too hard basket - let's have some real ideas. We can hardly complain about the profile of the club if we have no ideas on how to fix it.

** and if you wanna get personal, instead, bring it on, but do it using your real name and by pm please. Don't waste everyone's time with your petty snide remarks. **

its sad to say but a successful sl team is the only way forward for widnes vikings, the town has changed so much over the years and rugby league will only be popular if widnes return to super league and playing at the top end of it. there is the older people like myself that dont see rl and football as rivals but id imagine most youngsters are more interested in football unless they come from rl familes.

both of my nephews currently old enough play at the moorfield and like there rl but most youngsters prefer football its just a fact we have to live with.

[mick george]

You refering to me ozzie boy?