Stewartry recognised for performance and development

Stewartry have been awarded BT Club of the Month for February for the 2016/17 season.The club’s 1st XV were crowned BT West Division 2 champions after comprehensively winning their final league game against Cumbernauld to record only two losses for the season.Stewartry Sirens also enjoyed much success during the month of February, finishing fourth in the BT Women’s Premier League during their first season in the competition, while the club’s youth section continues to flourish across the age-groups with the U16 squad championing the West U16 South Group this season.The month of February also saw the club open their new strength and conditioning facility, which received investment from Scottish Rugby’s Club Sustainability Fund and sportscotland towards£100,000 worth of project costs.During the opening of the facility, Stewartry signed up 30 new members with a further 20 expressing interest from the local community and a local weight training club relocating to the club to make use of the equipment.The club are striving to increase the performance levels of their senior players through the facility while also working with a local strength and conditioning coach to develop a programme for younger players. Stewartry President, Eric Fenwick, said: “As a club we are delighted and honoured to be recognised by Scottish Rugby with this award.We have a lot of people behind the scenes whose work is generally unrecognised outside of the club so we see this as a tribute to them on the whole. In winning the award, Stewartry will receive a prize to the value of£1000, through a 12-month BT Sport subscription and£200 cash. They will also win a table for 10 at the Scottish Rugby Club Awards Dinner, and will be subsidised£500 for travel expenses to this event. Stewartry will also be on the shortlist for the BT Club of the Year award, to be announced at the dinner. To submit your BT Awards nominations for the month of March, visit: http://www.scottishrugby.org/clubnominations.