Engage Super League club Harlequins RL have announced an exciting initiative that will ensure that RLC Regional National Champions Northampton RL will be provided with greater support in 2010.
Building on the rapid growth in playing numbers seen in the Midlands region over the last few years Super League clubs will be paired with a specific club to help grow their junior teams in time for the Midlands summer season. Based on the fact that there are already links between our two clubs, it has been decided to officially pair up the two clubs.
“Many grassroot strongholds of rugby league benefit from the profile and community work of their local professional club” commented RFL Community Partnership Manager Chris Thair “We are grateful to the Super League Clubs and their partner Foundations, who run the community work on the clubs behalf, for agreeing to assist the clubs in the Midlands who don’t have a professional club on their doorstep. If this is successful we will explore the possibility of Super League clubs forging partnerships with other regions so they benefit from the exposure and resources they can bring. Many Super League clubs have already formed rewarding partnerships with clubs many miles from where they are located and we hope to replicate this as a collective body, building on best practice shown by some individual clubs.”
RFL Midlands Regional Manager David Butler was delighted by the news “This will provide a huge boost to clubs in the region in helping them recruit and retain players in readiness for the new season, supporting the invaluable work of the Midland based coaches and volunteers. Super League has huge appeal and we will work together in harnessing that power for the benefit of all.
The partnerships will see Super League community staff and possibly players spend at least one day with their partner club in places such as Nottingham, Coventry, Birmingham, Telford and Northampton. This will build upon the already strong number of fulltime staff in the Midlands, brought about by the RFL’s successful lottery fund application to Sport England regarding their Whole Sport Plan.
All Super League clubs now deliver community engagement programmes through their partner charitable foundations such as Wolves Foundation; many have won numerous awards for their pioneering work and work closely with the club in deploying players into schools and community events. The Heads of the Foundations agreed to deliver the programme in 2010 and the decision was recently ratified by Super League CEOs.
In addition to widening the gene pool of Rugby League players across the region the plans will also give engage Super League clubs the opportunity to run their eye over a growing pool of talented players.
“The signing of Will Lovell, Matt Meek and Jamie Cottle for the Quins club from Northampton shows that there are talented players out there who can play our game at the top level” said Butler. “This programme will give all those players without a professional Rugby League Club on their doorstep an opportunity to get to the top of our game.”
Anyone interested in rugby league in the Midlands can click onto
www.midlandsrugbyleague.co.uk for further detail.
