TIM HARDWICK
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we mourn the passing of former 1st XV coach Tim Hardwick recently Saturday 10th December. Our deepest condolences go out to Tracy, Tom and Toby and all the extended family.
Tim came to coach the 1st XV in 2015-16 season. He made an immediate impact with his no nonsense approach which certainly shocked a few of the lads, many of whom were used to the more mild-mannered approach promoted by the RFU! However, for many it was exactly the approach they needed as the standards Tim demanded were high, and he more than made his mark, with the team winning Midlands 1 West in 2018-9. More than anything Tim was a student of the game, I fondly recall one conversation about some research he had done relating to your tongue position and how if you held your tongue a certain way it helped you with tension through your body in the scrum! I have to confess that I had never gone into this level of detail, but it was more a testament to how Tim would try and extract the little 1%’s that are needed to be successful the higher the level. In many ways this probably had a lot to do with Tim as a player whom my father converted from a backrow forward to a front row forward. Tim was, compared to props at that time small but mobile in many ways the “Tom Smith” of his era, therefore he understood the level of detail he required to thrive at the higher echelons of the game and this was what he wanted to drive with the players at Bromsgrove.
More than anything though Tim was a gentleman who would do anything for anyone, he was honest, kind and loyal and it is these values that I hope live long with members of our squad at Bromsgrove RFC and also the wider community of people Tim coached. Tom being 1st XV captain this season is a fitting tribute to his dad, and I know how immensely proud Tim was of Tom. Tom lives very similar values as Tim and that is what makes him an exceptional human being who alongside Ed Spalding leads our playing group fantastically.
I know it has been hard over the last few years for Tim but he has dealt with his illness by fighting right to the very end, he was at many of our games this year supporting Tom and the team and I know how much watching Tom play meant to him. Tracy has always been his rock and I know Tom and Toby will do everything to support her during these difficult times.
Hopefully as a team we can give Tim the send off he deserves by carrying on this run of wins to the end of the season.
Rest in peace my friend,
Dan Protherough
