In 2012 Leeds Rhinos Foundation devised a Rugby League Development Plan for Leeds, with the support of Mears Group, with the aims of developing more players, improving standards, attracting more fans and protecting the history and heritage of the game. Following the many successes of Plan over the initial three year period the charity have put in place a new strategy with the vision of building on the work that has already been done and expanding it even further.
To allow the charity to meet the needs of schools and clubs across the city, the charity will restructure how they deliver their development work going forward. Working in four areas that cover the whole city, each division will have its own dedicated Development Officer with the ambition to offer a more cohesive and targeted programme in schools and clubs in that vicinity.
Alongside Rugby League Development Officers Matt Nicholson and Darryl Robinson, who will work in the West and South of the city, two new members of staff have come on board to guarantee the reach is city wide.
Ian Hardman, an experienced coach who currently plays for Featherstone Rovers, will work in the East of the city and Callum Tolson, who was previously on the Rhinos Scholarship and currently coaches junior rugby league at Drighlington, will look after North Leeds. As well as the four staff working in schools and clubs, Jacob Morgan, who is currently studying at Leeds Beckett University, has also been recruited and he will support the team to develop the game in universities.
The role of the Development Officers is to provide free coaching in primary and high schools and link up with local clubs to encourage children to continue playing rugby league outside of school.
Over the next year Leeds Rhinos Foundation will also be working with Community Clubs to help them set up Tots teams, for children aged 4-5 years old, with the vision for all 23 community clubs to have a team for this age group. Further resource will be given in this area with the charity offering coach education sessions, which will focus on how to deliver coaching to this age group.
In High Schools our officers will run coaching sessions in preparation for their teams competing in the Champion Schools competition. The school competitions, which also include the Sky Try 9s will be co-ordinated by Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s Lois Forsell.
The Coach Education programme, which is headed up by Rhinos coach Brian McDermott, has been key to the Development Plan and this will continue in the future, with more specific workshops for coaches who are involved in developing a rugby league side looking at topics ranging from fundamental skills to age specific coaching.
An exciting project that Leeds Rhinos Foundation will be working on over the next year will focus on touchline behaviour. As one of the basic principles of the development plan is to nurture new players it is recognised that for this to be successful they need to learn and play in an environment that is not intimidating or hostile.
As part of a respect campaign the charity will be working with community clubs to help foster a healthy environment for children to enjoy the game, with a focus on positive touchline etiquette from everyone involved including players, coaches and spectators.
Community Clubs Manager, Sam Horner, will continue to work with local community clubs to keep them engaged with the Rhinos and provide their players with unique experiences such as playing in the half times games at Headingley Carnegie.
Leon Crick, who manages the Rugby League Development Plan said he is optimistic about how the new plan will be benefit the Rugby League community in Leeds,
“Although great strides have been made over the last three years the Leeds Rhinos Foundation recognise that there is more work to be done,” said Crick.
“A new plan is now in place to ensure that our charity is able to continue its provision in this area and identify and exploit areas for growth.
“The new structure will allow us to have more feet on the ground and form better relationships with schools and clubs. We now have a very experienced Development team who I am confident will be able to deliver on our aims to increase participation, attendances and improve standards.
“None of the success we have achieved over the last three years would have been possible without the backing of our key partners Mears, who have sponsored the plan.
Sky Try also came on board last year with outstanding support for developing the game at grassroots level. We would also like to thank the generosity of A Taylor and Son, Emerald Foundation and Leeds City College whose support has empowered Leeds Rhinos Foundation to make positive changes across the city.”