Heol y Cyw rugby club in Bridgend are settling in for a floodlit holiday season after New Zealand-born American based money-man Owen Glenn made them the recipients of a heart-warming goodwill gesture which typifies the festive spirit.
Early last year the Division 3 South East club accepted a last minute fixture from Los Angeles touring side Belmont Shore and, after finishing 32-14 victors the tour party’s chairman and benefactor, Mr Glenn, promised the club a new set of floodlights as a reward for the hospitality shown to them.
The promise came amongst post-match revelry and was not taken seriously at first by the Heol y Cyw officials, but just a few weeks ago the floodlights were revealed in all their glory.
“We’ve arguably been gifted the best set of floodlights in Welsh rugby, it’s like playing under the Blackpool illuminations,” beamed former club secretary Alan Thomas.
“My namesake in the WRU operations department, Alan Thomas, called us up last year to arrange a last minute fixture saying there was an American team in town and they had been let down by another club.
“We were more than pleased to take up the offer, we produced a cracking game and all had a really good evening afterwards.
“We entertained them in our club-house and it was a typical evening at a Welsh rugby club, the kind we all know and love, with a Welsh choir on hand and plenty of good company.
“That was reward enough, but when Mr Glenn got up and said he was going to buy us a set of floodlights it was difficult for us to believe. But the people that were with him told us that when he says something like that it happens and sure enough the floodlights turned up – we really can’t thank him enough.
“It turns out that he does a lot of things with his money around the world to help out worthy causes, like building villages in poor countries and providing water pipes to people, so it’s no surprise to those who know him and pretty humbling for us.”
It was the quick thinking of WRU operations administrator Thomas which secured the fixture for Heol y Cyw during the a busy rugby month last September, but he could never have realised the impact the American tourists would have on one of Welsh rugby’s grass roots clubs and their coaches.
“We’ve been in the same situation as many clubs this time of year when you end up having to do your training in the changing rooms,” said Heol y Cyw Coach Ceri Roberts.
“It makes such a difference to be able to use the pitch at our leisure in the evenings and we have already offered our facilities to neighbouring clubs and the Ospreys region to see if they want to make use of the floodlights.
“The lights have had an amazing effect, it really makes us look like a proper rugby ground and it’s up to us now to maximise the impact of what are now magnificent facilities and see if we can’t attract a few more players to the club.
“What Mr Glenn has done will make a lasting impact to this rugby club and the small community around it for many years to come.”
Mr Glenn recently came back to South Wales to see the Heol y Cyw floodlights and was more than pleased with the impact his gesture has made.
“I think they did a great job with the lights and have left something at the club that will really lift the whole district,” said Glenn. “They’ll centre around it now and it will become a real focus for grass roots rugby in the area.
“I’m chairman and sponsor to the Belmont Shore side in California, who play in a super league there which I also helped to set up. When we came over here last year we found a club with a great heart and the floodlights are just a small gesture on my part.
“They are the heart and soul of the district and I was really interested in hearing about the history of the club. Wherever I’ve been in the world I’ve found rugby and it’s in my bones.
“Having grown up in New Zealand we have a special affinity with the Welsh in terms of rugby dating right back to the famous 1905 match when the All Blacks first toured here.
“Interestingly, I’m currently financing a movie which tells that particularly story and shows how our two countries are so inextricably linked.”
