Quins Ladies
Harlequin Ladies Football Club was established in September 1995 when a couple of Quins fans moved into the area and wanted to set-up a Ladies team. The idea soon grew into a team that was to win their first league unbeaten.
Since then, the Harlequin Ladies have gone from strength to strength, establishing a highly successful youth side, forming strong links with the main club and the local community and developing an enviable social calendar!
Within just five seasons, the Harlequin Ladies had reached the dizzying heights of Division 1. There have been many changes to the squad over the years, but with a number of new recruits and former youth team 'graduates' joining the senior side, the team has strengthened its position in this league, finishing mid-table at the end of the 2005/06 season. A new addition in the 2006/07 season is an affiliated Second team. Although the squad is not quite strong enough to support a Second XV just yet, it is the hoped that by the end of the 2006/07 season the Second team will be a mighty opposition.
The Youth Team
The youth team was originally set-up in 1998, with the late Sue Moloney taking on the role of Youth Team Secretary and other senior team members playing key roles in setting up and training the team. With the support of local schools, the team quickly attracted nearly 30 players, all aged between 11 and 17 years and soon proved itself a force to be reckoned with in the Under 16s game.
Since then, the Youth Team has continued to go from strength to strength over the seasons, with such victories as winning the inaugural Saracens Junior Girls Rugby Festival and the annual Camberley 10's Tournament.
As well as proving themselves invaluable members of the senior squad, many youth team 'graduates' have gone on to achieve major representational success at County, Regional and International level.
The Academy aims to run both Under 14 and Under 17 squads during the 2006/07 season, and a number of fixtures have been arranged.
Tours
The Ladies have also worked hard to develop a strong social side to their game. In addition to regular socials that have ranged from picnics at the Middlesex Sevens to pub crawls in Twickenham, each season is rounded off with tours for both the senior and youth team squads.
So far the Ladies have seen the sights of Dublin, Cork, Treviso, Amsterdam, Paris, Ghent and most recently Stockholm. They have also been known to return with silverware on several occasions. Not only have these tours provided the opportunity to meet and play against many new teams, they have also been an excellent way for new members to really get to know their team-mates.
Funding
At the heart of every Amateur sport is the need for adequate funding. For the 2006/07 season Bitter & Twisted, the award winning beer from the Scottish microbrewery, Harviestoun has teamed up with the Harlequin Ladies Rugby Football Club to become the team's official sponsor.
Any offer of sponsorship is always appreciated and no deal is too small. Contact us to find out what opportunities we can offer your business.
The Community
The Ladies are also kept busy off the pitch, often in the support of local fundraising events. These have included the record breaking abseil off Twickenham Stadium for Cancer Research UK, and supporting the main club in their charity events.
Come and Meet Us
The Harlequin Ladies are always on the lookout for new players. Whether an old-hand or a complete novice, we look forward to hearing from you. Harlequin Ladies train on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7.30pm to 9.00pm at Harlequins training ground in Roehampton Vale.
Location map for the training ground.
Harlequin Ladies Youth Academy welcomes all girls aged from 11 to 17 years-old, who are keen to play rugby. The Academy trains every Wednesday from 6.00pm to 7.00pm at St Mary's College, Teddington.
To find out more, please email us at quinsladies@hotmail.com or call the Harlequins switchboard on 020 8410 6000. Alternatively, log-on to www.harlequinladies.co.uk for all the latest news from the Ladies team.