As women across the world celebrate International Women’s Day tomorrow, Leeds Rhinos Foundation can reflect on a fantastic year and even brighter times ahead for girls and women in Leeds with record numbers of schools and clubs receiving coaching from Leeds Rhinos Foundation
In line with the charity’s mission to increase participation in all areas of rugby league and in support of the This Girl Can Leeds campaign developed by Sport England to encourage women to take part in sport, Leeds Rhinos Foundation will be working with the largest number of girls in 2017 since the charity launched in 2005.
By extending the amount of delivery to new levels over the past 12 months, Leeds Rhinos Foundation's development staff, which includes designated Women and Girls Development Officer Lois Forsell, are providing more opportunities for girls to take their first step into the sport through more school sessions, inter-school competitions and club taster sessions taking place across the city.
As part of this increasing trend of more girls and women getting into the sport, Leeds Rhinos Foundation have also helped support the launch of more clubs in the city over the past 12 months to now include six clubs based in Leeds now hosting girls sections.
The number of girls playing rugby league in schools has also been highlighted by the number of participants in Leeds Rhinos Foundation tag and contact rugby competitions for primary schools and high schools throughout the year and over 600 high school girls already receiving a coaching session since the start of the school year in September 2016.
To accommodate different experience levels and age groups from primary school to secondary school girls rugby delivery is tailored for each schools' needs, from curriculum time lessons to after school clubs with different formats of rugby such as Tag, Touch and full contact offered in the form of coaching and competitions.
Through the academic year starting September 2015 and finishing July 2016, 21 schools worked with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, including 33 different classes taking part in 198 coaching sessions to engage with a total of 825 girls.
With more schools signed up for 2016-17, the Foundation will eclipse this number adding to the 13 schools worked with since September to include 11 more schools and 168 further sessions to work with 1,300 girls by the end of the year.
Girls playing primary rugby league is also on the up with more girls playing rugby alongside boys in the under 7s to under 11s age groups which is a positive trend for the future of girls rugby with more junior girls likely to link up with Girls sections from under 12s upwards.
If you are interested in playing Rugby League below is a list of clubs that currently have girls teams.
Oulton Raidettes
Ages: Under-12s, Under-14s, Under-16s and Open Age
Contact: Matty Bullough 07545336813
Email: matbul12@googlemail.com
East Leeds
Ages: Under-12s, Under-14s, Under-14s, Under-16s and Open Age
Contact: Dean Gledhill 07789113515
Email: deangledhill@hotmail.co.uk
West Leeds
Ages: Under-12s, Under-14s, Under-14s, Under-16s and Open Age
Contact: Donna Tobitt 07766556828
Email: donna_tobitt@hotmail.com
Hunslet Warriors
Ages: Under-14s, Under-16s and Open Age
Contact: Joanne Wilson-Wetherill
Email: jo_ww@hotmail.co.uk
Farnley Falcons
Under-12s, Under-14s
Contact: Jonny Adams 07743900239
Email: jonny.adams@hotmail.co.uk
Stanningley
Ages: Open Age
Contact: Darren Woods: 07929252960
Email:dejwoods74@gmail.com