The Leeds Rhinos Foundation have been helping to attract more Year 2 school children interested in Rugby League to their local community clubs with taster sessions at Farnley Falcons and Leeds Underdogs bringing in a total of 16 new under 7s to the clubs.
West Leeds club Farnley Falcons saw 11 new under 7s attend their first ever Rugby League training session, while Leeds Underdogs were able to welcome five new players to the club to join the already established under 7s team.
The initiative funded by Sky Try has seen the Leeds Rhinos Foundation work in 10 schools in the Farnley and Adel/Cookridge areas over the last month, delivering introductory rugby sessions to Year 2 pupils before signposting the children to their local club taster session.
The taster sessions coached by Primary School Development Officer Matthew Nicholson received a visit from Leeds Rhinos star Zak Hardaker and Ronnie the Rhino with a demonstration of some of the primary rugby league drills the children had worked on in their schools.
Speaking after the Sky Try Taster session at Farnley Falcons, Matthew Nicholson commented:
“We had Ronnie the Rhino here tonight who was a big hit as always and Zak Hardaker here coaching with us and working on some fundamental rugby skills, such as how to grip and carry the ball, passing and catching and some basic tackling with the tackle pads. The drills in most cases have replicated what we’ve worked on in the schools to provide some continuity for the kids as well.
“For many of the kids who have never played before, it’s all just about getting used to the ball and movements involved in Rugby League and just keeping it fun, so it was really good tonight to get these numbers and pleasing to see it come off like it has done tonight.”
Leeds Rhinos star Zak Hardaker, who is a Sky Try ambassador and has worked with Matthew Nicholson in delivering in the schools in the lead up to the club’s taster sessions added:
“We’ve covered a lot of the very basic stuff in the schools and here tonight as well, working on some very simple drills with the balls and I don’t think they will have actually realised what they have been taught skill wise, but everything we do is based around rugby related skills, so putting them into practice today as a new team and as new friends, they have all worked really well together.
“It’s great to see that they have progressed from the early stages at the schools to only a few weeks later doing so well today, so big thanks to Sky Try for helping to fund this initiative, hopefully all the kids who have come along today have been inspired and keep coming along to the sessions with the clubs coaching team.”
By becoming part of their new clubs the new under 7s at both Farnley Falcons and Leeds Underdogs are entitled to some of the benefits of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation Club Ambassador scheme, that entitles them to attend Leeds Rhinos games on discounted tickets and take part in match day activity by playing at half time on the pitch or through escorting the players on to the pitch.
Johnny Adams at Farnley Falcons commented on the benefits that the club receive from being part of the Club Ambassador scheme network:
“It’s been fantastic we’ve tried to do player recruitment before but on the back of Matty and Zak’s work in the community we’ve had 11 kids coming along today, so that’s 2 teams for primary rugby which is sensational and a really great start.
“We regularly take the kids to Headingley now, any opportunity we get to take the kids on the pitch we do, because they absolutely love it, the parents love seeing them on there and they get to meet the players it’s just a fantastic opportunity.”
A video of the Sky Try Initiative