SKY TRY RUGBY LEAGUE PROGRAMME BREEDS JUNIOR CLUB DEVELOPMENT
Gloucestershire's only professional RL club, the University of Gloucestershire All Golds, have just completed their first year of schools coaching
This has been achieved as part of the Rugby Football League's SKY TRY programme, which has been hailed as a huge success.
Following on from this, the ALl Golds have announced that they will be running clubs this summer for 8-11 year olds in both Cheltenham and Gloucester.
After the Cheltenham operation successfully bid for funding from the ‘Active Together Fund’, the players will train at the University of Gloucestershire’s Park campus for the whole summer holiday period, culminating in an event at the All Golds’ final league game of the season against Keighley Cougars on September 6.
Sessions in Cheltenham will run on the main grass area at the campus on Wednesday nights from 6pm-7.15pm and start with the first session on 22 July.
All sessions will be coached by fully qualified members of the club’s community development team and will cost only £15 for the seven coaching sessions including a free ball for every child who signs up.
The model is being replicated in Gloucester, albeit without the funding. The aim of the training will see the team compete against their counterparts from Cheltenham at the Prince of Wales Stadium before the All Golds home game against Newcastle Thunder on August 8 and then at the Keighley game which will take place at Cinderford RFC’s Dockham Road ground in September.
Sessions In Gloucester will take place on the AstroTurf and grass area at the Oxtalls campus for the whole summer holiday period.
Just like in Cheltenham, all sessions will be overseen by fully qualified members of the All Golds’ community development team. The six coaching sessions cost only £12 and again any participant will receive a free rugby ball.
Speaking about the programme, the All Golds’ Head of Community development, Dan Garbutt, said : “We’ve received great funding support through Sky Try. The schools programme needs an outlet and the input from the Active together fund has facilitated this.
This year’s programme will be an opportunity for us to get something going but the aspiration has to be to create a long term, sustainable club through recruiting keen players and high quality volunteers”
To find out more about the club and receive details to how to join, participants are asked to contact Dan Garbutt at dgarbutt@glos.ac.uk