.gif)
Andrew Wilson - Rugby League Development Officer
Tel: 0113 3950163
Fax: 0113 3950200
or email using the link on this page.
Partnerships are key and strong links have been made with the amateur leagues, professional organisations, education and health as well as the council.
The Sports Development Officer sets and agrees programmes with all partners and then facilitates the structures which involves a large volunteer base and community sports coaches.
The current programmes in place are:
Schools and club links
With the partnership of the Leeds Rugby Foundation a 6 week tag rugby generic coaching structure has been developed in all primary schools ending with a festival at one of the accredited amateur clubs who then adopt the schools and provide a pathway from school to club. From the partnership festivals 24 school teams are invited to a city wide final at the John Charles centre for sport. The winners advance to the regional tag finals and runners up to the West Yorkshire Youth games.
Annual Disability festival involving schools and groups from local, regional and national areas based on a generic tag rugby format.
National Tag Rugby Festival is the biggest festival in the UK which promotes rugby union and league to disabled young people. The event is organised by the rugby league development officer and the disability sports development officer.
Girls rugby league – formation of the champion schools competition with the finalists playing at the challenge cup final. As a pathway a local girls competition linked into school festivals and hence the numbers of girls playing is increasing. Close working with the Leeds rugby foundation girls and women's development officer.
The community sports officers work closely with the development officer to support schools and amateur clubs helping with funding issues, facility and playing area provision and organising events such as summer holiday programmes.
Leeds rugby foundation coaching – weekly session with clubs, schools and development areas nominated by the council. Community coaches work in all school sport partnership throughout the city and programmes are based on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD). Leeds Rugby offer their facilities to all the community and encourage all sports to be involved.
Leeds Rugby League Service Area
Involvement in this group where representatives from all partners support the development of the game from grass roots to performance level. Leeds is recognised as a front runner with the development of performance and participation involvement within rugby league.
Club Mark
The Development Officer oversees and supports applications of club for the Club Mark accreditation scheme. Sixteen clubs have gained club mark and another six are working towards the accreditation.
Coach Education
Support is given to all amateur clubs and schools to ensure all volunteers within the game are qualified to a minimum level with the new UKCC programme.
Rugby league and athletic development scheme (RADS)
Involves all 40 high schools at the year 7 age group taking part in an eighteen week generic sports and health programme involving rugby league and athletics coaching. At the end of the course a sporting camp is held where all the SDOs coach a session with the students to help them experience al areas in sport and decide their way forward in sport.
RADS tests are fully inclusive and tests year 7 students annually on health and fitness providing information to the school PE department, identifies talented young sports people and to provide valuable information concerning healthy life style and obesity to Primary Care Trusts. Working in partnership with Leeds Metropolitan University information gathered is now recognised internationally as creditable data on the standard of activity and weight levels involving large numbers of young people, up to 8000.