A rugby club has unveiled plans for a new women’s team.
Clwb Rygbi Bala, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, has 200 players on its books.
According to chairman Tony Parry, the community-based club has come a long way since it was established in 1980 and has become a focal point for social and social life in the area.
The club has enjoyed a lot of on-the-field success in recent years, consistently finishing among the top four in the first division for North Wales in recent years.
The one element that’s missing, said Tony, was having a fully-fledged women’s team.
Locally-based trailer firm Ifor Williams Trailers, who have factories in Corwen and Cynwyd, have stepped up to help the club tackle its plans for future growth and development.
They have provided the club with a P5 trailer to carry kit, including heavy tackle, bags around.
In the summer months the Maes Gwyniad ground is let out to caravanners, and the trailer will then also be used to ferry rubbish for recycling.
Tony, a club stalwart who played in the second row in the very first game against Dolgellau 41 years ago, was hugely grateful to Ifor Williams Trailers.
He said: “The club has come a long way since those early days when we played on the cricket field on the other side of Bala.
“We have the first and second teams, the youth team, the under 16s, under 14s, under 12s under 10s and under 8s and then we’re hoping to have two or three women’s teams in the future.
“We don’t have a women’s team at the moment but there is a women’s team training in the school under the club’s name but because of the numbers in this and other clubs, they come together as a regional team.
“Clwb Rygbi Bala is a community club. Nobody gets paid and everything is done voluntarily.
“We are successful on the field and we have been in the top four in the first division for the north for the last few years.
“We’ve won the league once and we’ve competed in the North Wales Cup a few times but haven’t won it yet.
“As well as Bala itself, our catchment area includes the nearby communities of Llanuwchllyn, Llangwm, Corwen, Llandrillo, Cynwyd and Llandderfel.
“Welsh is the language of this club. All the committee meetings take place in Welsh. On the field, everything takes place in Welsh, even though over the years we’ve had two players from Australia playing for us and three from Argentina in the last few years.
“It’s very important that we have sponsorship from local companies like Ifor Williams Trailers.”
Llion Roberts, sales account manager with Ifor Williams Trailers, lives just up the road in Llanuwchllyn.
He said: “Bala is a very successful community club and it’s a very important part of life in the town and the surrounding communities.
“As a community oriented company, we feel it’s important that we also play our part in providing support.
“We were therefore more than happy to provide the club with a trailer which will hopefully make life a lot easier for the team of volunteers who are so vital to their success on and off the pitch.
“We wish them every success this season and we’ll keep our fingers crossed they can win the title once again.”
