At their AGM last Tuesday (15th May), Sandown & Shanklin RFC appointed Damion Marriott as their head coach for the forthcoming 2018/19 season.
Damion has been coaching for 4 years with 2-and-a-half seasons as head coach at Ventnor RFC. Whilst at Ventnor Damion coached the club to promotion into Hampshire 1. Since 2015 he’s been the Head of Rugby at The Island Free School, growing the game within the school.
Additionally, other roles include working on the player pathway with Harlequins and as the assistant on the Hampshire County program with Josh Barlow and Hampshire U15 girl’s squads.
Josh Barlow, Community Rugby Coach for the Isle of Wight, had this to say regarding Damion:
“I’ve worked closely with Damion and he has a passion for wanting to be the best and will be a good asset to Sandown & Shanklin RFC”.
At the AGM new captains for the approaching season were also ratified. The 1st XV captain for Sandown & Shanklin is Sam Flux, who is returning to the role after his 2-year gap as the Club Captain. The new 2nd XV captain is Liam Little. Elected by his peers, Liam is a new player to the Club and is looking forward to putting his energy and enthusiasm into the role.
The outgoing captains, Sam Rees and Simon Swallow, were thanked for the endless time and effort devoted to 1st XV and 2nd XV captains respectively. Sam Rees is stepping down to focus on his business and the playing side of the club. Simon has stepped into the vacant Club Captain role, his 2nd stint in the position.
Chairman, Bill Macpherson was delighted in being able to announce the above…
“We are always looking to push our limits and continue to provide the best environment for our players. With the appointment of Damion as Head Coach, I feel that we brought in someone with a great amount of potential, but also a brilliant character to get the best out of the players.
“I would also like to publicly thank Andrew ‘Taff’ John for his fantastic work has Head Coach last season. The time and effort he put into the squad really provided dividends, as the players enjoyed the style of play and supporters revelled in watching the games. Hopefully Taff will be down at the Club to play a few more games and help Damion, nevertheless, he deserves the Summer off!
“Finally, the Club is reliant on volunteers and the support it receives from our fans and family, and we hope you can continue to show your support next season”.
Sandown & Shanklin RFC will play in the newly revised Hampshire Premiership for the 2018/19 season, which will guarantee 22 league fixtures, plus cup fixtures and pre-season friendlies.
New players are always welcome and should email [email protected] for more information.
