The Leeds Rhinos Foundation helped introduce twenty new players to local club Guiseley Rangers at the club taster session last week, supported by the Sky Try initiative that helps to increase participation in Rugby League
The session run at the home of Guiseley Rangers was aimed at under 7s players and provided by Leeds Rhinos Foundation Development Officers Matthew Nicholson and Sam Horner with guest coaches from the Leeds Rhinos in Zak Hardaker and Stevie Ward.
The taster session was the culmination of a six week block of coaching in seven primary schools in the Guiseley area that has taken many of the children through their first experience of Rugby League in the school, before signposting them to the club to form a new age group and start them on their Rugby League journeys.
Matthew Nicholson, who provided the coaching in the Guiseley Primary Schools commented:
“We’ve had a fantastic turnout tonight at our taster session with nearly 20 kids here, which is a brilliant turnout by everybody involved.
“It began around six weeks ago when we started going into the schools in the local area funded by Sky Try programme, and from that we were able to get into seven schools and deliver some quality coaching as well as some assemblies and all that has led to 20 children getting started at the club.”
Leeds Rhinos Star Stevie Ward, who attended the Sky Try launch event at Widnes Vikings’ Select Security Stadium in February, commented on the importance of the initiative in producing players for the local community clubs:
“It’s massive, I think this is something I need as a youngster when I was seven years old and just running around and having a good time, it’s just what kids need in being able to be outdoors and play sports like Rugby League, if we can get more kids playing at this age it’s better for the professional game.
“Me and Zak have been involved in a lot of stuff that Sky Try have done so far since the launch at Widnes where we did some coaching on the day, and it just shows how much effort Sky are putting into it and speaking to the parents here today, you can see how they are anticipating more to come from their kids and more events like this from Sky, as well as, more great days like this that the sport of Rugby League offers.”
Staff from the club will now take over the sessions at Guiseley Rangers and run the new under 7s side with weekly follow up coaching sessions and are still on the look out for new players to join the team.
For more information on getting involved with Guiseley Rangers contact Club Development Officer Helen Schofield at: helen.rugby@sky.com or by phone on 07946607223.
The video of the Taster session at Guiseley Rangers can be seen below: