We caught up with Leeds Rhinos Foundation Development Officers Ian Hardman, Callum Tolson and Lois Forsell at last week’s Year 7 Leeds North/East Champion Schools Qualifier at Roundhay School, to hear how the trio plan to help their schools make it to the latter stages of the world’s biggest knockout Rugby League tournament.
The newest Leeds Rhinos Foundation Development Officers, who operate in the North and East of the city, have joined fellow development officers, Lois Forsell (Girls), Matt Nicholson (West Leeds) and Darryl Robinson (South Leeds) in assisting school teachers at local schools to help prepare for the tournament this year, with some national success a firm target in 2016.
The support from the officers will come in a variety of forms over the duration of the tournament, as they offer 'across the board' Year 7 curriculum coaching to all schools to help with their development in their first year at secondary school, along with supporting teams in older year groups who progress to the regional stages by providing lunchtime and after schools clubs.
Ian and Callum have been delivering in their assigned schools since the start of the September with a focus primarily on the year 7 year age groups and the Leeds North East Year 7 tournament at Roundhay School was the first chance to for the duo to see the teams they have been working with in action.
Callum Tolson commented:
“Abbey Grange, Roundhay and Lawnswood (who are all in action today) come under my bracket. Lawnswood unfortunately didn’t progress to the Leeds finals but Roundhay won their group and Abbey Grange also qualified on point’s difference, so a good day in the North area.
“The teams that go through to the finals, I’ll stay with them and provide sessions after school and during curriculum P.E. to help them develop even more and help them in hopefully progressing through the tournament to reach the national finals.”
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation are supporting the running of the Champion Schools Tournament by initially organising the local stages, providing the venues, staff, teams and referees, along with the staging the local final event that will determine which schools go through to the regionals.
Competitions coordinator Lois Forsell, who has organised this process added:
“With regards to organising it we’ve just tried to be very clear with the schools, communicating a lot and it’s obviously helped a lot with having development officers in each part of the city.
“Callum and Ian have been in the schools who have been here tonight and it’s really nice to see they have a good relationship with their kids.”
See the full video with interviews from Lois, Callum and Ian below: