Newark Rugby Club and You Can Do Sport partner in new academy for 16 to 18 year olds interested in the sport
More than 30 potential rugby starlets attended a soft launch of a new academy.
The launch happened at Newark Rugby Club whose facilities will be home to the first cohort of players signing up to a BTEC course that offers a balance of the sport and a more traditional education.
The course was promoted in schools before the launch, which saw around 30 16 to 18 year olds attend.
The academy will be called Newark Rugby Academy and be based at the Kelham Road ground, where facilities had a £1.2m upgrade, making them among the best in the East Midlands region.
It is run in conjunction with You Can Do Sport who already offer courses in football and netball.
The qualification is a two-year BTEC level three in sport, which is equivalent to three A-levels and enough to secure a university place.
Players will have around ten hours a week on the rugby field, either training or taking part in friendly matches with other grassroots academies or school sixth forms.
The formal education element will be classroom-based elsewhere.
It is possible to study for an A-level too alongside the two-year BTEC.
A free kit will be provided and there are no fees for joining.
The course leaves players free to continue playing for any club they are already a member of so they do not have to transfer their allegiance to Newark RUFC.
Adam Doran, head coach at Newark RUFC Colts, said: “Newark Rugby Club is delighted to announce the launch of our academy, which has a joint emphasis on education and rugby.
“Our aim is to give 16 to 18 year olds the best possible tools to progress their education or careers while improving them as players through professional rugby coaching.
“This age group is the most important in the club as strength here inevitably feeds through into our senior teams.”
Natalia Postlethwaite, director of You Can Do Sport, said they were working with the Nottinghamshire branch of the RFU, rugby’s governing body, and hoped to have high-profile coaches who have either been players of the sport or still are.
Natalia said: “BTEC is a holistic option that offers routes into different arenas of the sporting world — nutrition, psychology or anatomy, leadership or management for instance.
“That is alongside two years of playing rugby and improving on skills and ability.”
There will be an official launch at the rugby club from 1pm on March 28.
Anyone interested in joining the academy can go along and see the facilities, meet the new coaches and take part in taster sessions, which will be followed by the 1sts second from last home game of the season.
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