Since September Baildon Rugby Club has looked to put time and effort into developing its community rugby program. With the support of the RFU and its ALL SCHOOLS program the relationship with Titus Salts school has grown with Robbie Hill (pictured) Baildon’s Rugby Development Officer delivering curriculum rugby sessions throughout year 7, and seeing the success from it, for both Girls and Boys rugby. The program has also seen a massive success within primary schools, delivery that started off involving two schools now runs TAG RUGBY programs in five schools in the local area.

A satellite girl’s rugby program run by Baildon RUFC based at Titus Salts School on Saturday morning has developed from one girl attending, to seeing 11 girls registered. The popularity will only rise going forward. With Titus salt’s school showing their support, sending two teams to the Girls School Rugby Aire Valley National Qualifiers giving 17 girls the opportunity to get some high quality coaching and taking part in a high quality rugby festival. It seems that Girls Rugby will only continue to grow in popularity and Baildon Rugby Club are part of it.

Boy’s rugby in Baildon has also been a focus and is looking to reap rewards from the community rugby program. This was shown in all its glory on Friday 7th March with 7 Schools each bringing a team of year 7 students to take part in Baildon RDO’s first Rugby festival and seeing great success from it with more than 100 children getting the opportunity to play rugby against other schools on a Friday afternoon. Community Rugby in Baildon has also had some great support with Shipley Town Council providing funding through the Youth Opportunities Grant, which gives Baildon Rugby the chance to deliver in more secondary schools in the area as well as delivering more rugby at the club. All of this extra delivery can only benefit the junior section of the club in the short term and the club as a whole for the future.

Tag Rugby in the area has seen a huge boost, with Tag rugby delivery in primary schools developing from delivering in two schools in the area to five schools employing Baildon Rugby Club to deliver Tag Rugby. With Baildon C of E, Sandal Primary, Glenaire Primary, Shipley C of E and Thackley Primary all buying into this program the amount of rugby being delivered in the area is fantastic. Looking forward Baildon will look to host for days of rugby cluster festivals where 500 children from year 3 to year 6 will get the chance to receive some great tag rugby coaching and put their skills into practice in an afternoon of Tag Rugby games, these festivals have been given great support from Baildon Town Council with funding going towards equipment and advertising for the festival. Alongside all of this delivery we will see the TAG to TWICKENHAM festival return to Baildon for another year giving opportunities for schools to take part against a number of different schools in the area.

Putting all these projects into numbers gives us a great chance to see how Rugby is growing and with the RUGBY WORLD CUP only 18 months away this project is something that is great to be part of. Since September 140 Girls at Titus Salts schools have had the chance to experience rugby, with 18 girls attending after school rugby programs at Salts school. St Marys School in Menston has also looked to run a girls rugby after school program with 14 girls attending rugby sessions. With 140 year 7 boys getting the chance to experience curriculum rugby it is no surprise Salts have seen success at boy’s level bringing a squad of 19 players to the recent Baildon festival just showed the interest. The primary school involvement has already been identified as a fantastic program in itself and a calculation that over 700 primary school children in the local area have had the opportunity for rugby delivery from Baildon Rugby Club is something that the club should be proud of and close to 1000 children having worked with Baildon Rugby on some level just shows the success, and things can only get better for Baildon Rugby Club.