The world’s biggest Rugby League knockout competition, The Champion Schools Tournament, returns to schools across the region this week, as the local group stages get under way at high schools around Leeds and Leeds Rhinos Foundation staff who are once again supporting schools from Leeds will be hoping to get more representatives from the city to the 2016 National Finals.
Open to every secondary school in England, Wales and Scotland for girls and boys – the tournament has provided the curtain raiser to the Challenge Cup final since 2002, when the tournament was re-launched by the RFL and the English Schools Rugby League.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation Girls Development Officer and Competitions Coordinator Lois Forsell along with four coaches from the Foundation including Rugby League Development Officers: Callum Tolson (North), Ian Hardman (East), Matt Nicholson (West) and Darryl Robinson (South) will once again assist school teachers at local schools to help prepare for the tournament again this year and will be hoping to see a Leeds school in a national final in 2016.
The support will come in a variety of forms, as the coaches will offer 'across the board' Year 7 curriculum coaching to all schools to help with their development in their first year at secondary school. Alongside supporting the year 7 age groups, staff will then support teams in all year groups who progress to the regional stages by offering lunch and after schools clubs to provide more contact time for preparation and coaching.
"This year we are piloting a new format for the champion schools competition. We have split the city into two so that the competitions are more manageable and so that the finals will bring together the top sides in the city. This year will see teams get lots of playing time both at the local stages and more for those progressing to the Leeds Champ Schools finals." Said Lois.
"One thing is for certain is there will be plenty of competition between the schools and some excellent rugby league played. This year especially we are looking forward to supporting the schools that fare well in the competition assisting them as much as possible on their journey to the regional stages and hopefully as far as the Nationals."
Further to supporting the teams playing in the competition this year, The Leeds Rhinos Foundation will support the running of the Champion Schools Tournament by initially organising the local stages, organising the venues, staff, teams and referees, along with the staging the local final event that will determine which schools go through to the regionals.
The tournament for Leeds schools gets under way this week with locals schools hoping to finish in the top two for the north and south regions respectively at each age group, to then play off on finals day at Boddington Hall in Weetwood prior to October Half Term for a place in the regional stages.
Stay posted on the Leeds Rhinos Foundation website for updates and results from all stages of the competition this year. First up will be the Year 11 age group with a girls qualifier on Wednesday 16th at Hunslet Parkside and the Year 11 South Leeds qualifiers at Royds School and North Leeds qualifiers at Brigshaw School on Thursday 17th September.
For more information on the Champion Schools Competition visit: http://www.therfl.co.uk/play/competitions/championschools