Wales Rugby League have forged links with Cardiff Metropolitan University to further develop links between the university game in Wales and the community game.
Wales Rugby League have forged links with Cardiff Metropolitan University to further develop links between the university game in Wales and the community game.
As of this week, WRL National Development Manager Idris Evans will have an office space within the Student’s Union at Cardiff Met and will work closely with students at the university to develop a pathway for their development within the game as well as a pathway for students to support the development of the community game.
This will include working closely with Cardiff Met Head Coach Andy Lindley to ensure that talented players within the university are signposted to pathways such as representative student honours with Wales, South Wales Scorpions and their reserves, Conference League South sides (Valley Cougars, Torfaen Tigers and West Wales Raiders) as well as the community clubs such as Cardiff City Rugby League.
Students will also be supported to develop their knowledge and leadership within the game such as completing coaching qualifications, refereeing badges, safeguarding courses and also the opportunity to work closely with schools and community clubs to develop their coaching knowledge and skills.
National Development Manager Idris Evans stated:
“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to work within the university setting, it provides a great opportunity for Wales Rugby League to ensure that students can progress into the community game as well as young players in our junior leagues seeing what the university has to offer.”
“By working closely with the Student’s Union and the rugby league side we can ensure that players get every opportunity to play rugby league at whatever level they aspire towards, whether that be playing for the university side or within the community / professional set up.”
Cardiff Met Head Coach Andy Lindley added:
“BY WRL having a presence at the university it means our student population have a more visible pathway if they want to play more rugby league. It will also allow the players to learn about the game and educate themselves whilst also gaining valuable coaching experience ready to progress into the world of work when they graduate as well as testing themselves physically and finding their limits as individuals.”
“There’s a Student World Cup in Australia next year (2017), it’d be great to have a handful of Cardiff Met players on the plane and the link with WRL will only provide the players with another opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge and better their chances of being there. There’s no better opportunity to test your skills than playing against other nations at a World Cup.”
Cardiff Met Student’s Union President Stef Kelly is also delighted with the link:
“Giving our students different opportunities to develop as people falls perfectly into what we do as a Student’s Union. Having Idris on board here within the union will benefit what we can offer to our students and increase what people will have on their CVs both academically and in experience.”
For more information about Cardiff Met Rugby League please contact Club Captain Liam Curnow on liam_curnow@hotmail.co.uk.