Joel has made it known to the board that he will be stepping down from his role to take up the Head Coach role with our friends down the road at Preston Grasshoppers.

Joel joined the club for the 2018/19 season where he was faced with the significant task of turning around the club's fortunes after a very tough and testing 2017/18 season. He immediately got to work delivering his detail focused coaching that had a clear and very powerful effect on the players throughout the senior section. This saw many players excel and really push on, resulting in players across the board really develop into forces to be reckoned with within their respective teams and leagues. Joel really bought into the clubs "rugby for everyone" ethos and that's been evident with unbelievably large numbers of players from all the senior sides training and playing across the teams each week.

When joining the club Joel said he wanted to achieve certain milestones in the role, one of which was to leave the club in a better position when his time is done. I know he can look back and confidently say the group of players he leaves behind are testament to that. There is a quality set of players who I believe will go on to challenge very hard in their respective teams next season, Joel will no doubt be watching with interest.

On a personal note, I've found Joel to be incredibly hard working and passionate about his role and he's made a big impact on the club, not least with the Allies, who have repeatedly shown their support for him win, lose or draw, high praise in itself. My role as Director of Rugby would have been a lot tougher and more testing had Joel not been there to steer the ship and for that I'm very grateful! A special thank you has come from 1xv stand-off Harry Finan who said "Joel really took me under his wing in Douglas 2019, he's not just given me skills on the pitch but he was a great roommate too!"

I hope you can all join me in wishing Joel the very best in his new role and we will hope to see you at Powder House Lane very soon. Enjoy the summer and go well next year mate!
Jack
AVE ATQUE VALE