With the start of the new school year the Leeds Rhinos Foundation have returned to schools around Leeds to provide more Sky Try taster sessions at local community clubs, with Whinmoor Warriors the latest club to benefit from the programme with 9 new players joining the clubs under 7s age group.
The new multi-million pound Sky Try project was launched in February 2015 with the aim to empower Rugby League clubs' charitable Foundations across the country to make a difference by delivering new opportunities to play, watch and become involved in the sport.
One of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation's initial projects under the Sky Try initiative has been to develop grass roots participation by targeting the under 7s age group with Rugby League Development Officers in four areas of the city coaching in a series of schools over a 6 week period to introduce Rugby and signpost children to a taster session at their local club.
Since the start of September East Leeds Rugby League Development Officer Ian Hardman has been delivering a block of coaching in St Theresa’s Catholic Primary, Parklands Primary, White Laith Primary and Grimes Dyke Primary schools, covering some of the fundamental rugby league skills combined with fun drills to engage the year 2 age groups and provide them with their first taste of the sport.
Ian, who started his role with the Foundation in September and the start of the school year, visited Whinmoor Warriors ARLFC last night along with Community Clubs Development Officer Sam Horner to deliver a taster session at the club for all under 7 school children in the Whinmoor catchment area to attend which brought 9 new players to the club to join a further 14 already signed regular training.
Ian Hardman commented on the success of the night:
“It has been a really encouraging turnout at Whinmoor tonight to see some new faces come along to this taster session. There have been quite a few children in the schools around Whinmoor showing an interest in playing Rugby League and from our point of view it's pleasing to see that we are able to provide this link between schools and clubs through the Sky Try programme.
"The under 7s age group is really important to us because we are capturing a new audience and hopefully directing them towards Rugby League for the future with their new clubs, it's a great set up here at Whinmoor and we’d like to wish the club well going forward with hopefully even more kids keen to come along as well who couldn't make it tonight."
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation will be following up last night's taster at Whinmoor Warriors with two more Taster Sessions at Beeston Broncos this Friday and Kippax Juniors on Tuesday night as the Sky Try programme continues to increase grass roots Rugby League participation in Leeds.
For more information on getting involved with Winmoor Warrios contact Club Development Officer David Porter at: davidjohnporter@ntlworld.com or by phone on 07712 840179