Girls’ rugby league team from Hull readying themselves for the Yorkshire stage – and you can be part of it
A girls’ rugby league club have put out the call for more members to boost numbers and “build lifelong friendships”.
Regardless of experience or ability, Year 7 girls are wanted to join East Hull Girls Under-12s. With excitement building towards the U12 team’s first competitive season in the Yorkshire league, the club want to get the word out to more girls eager to play the sport.
Gracie Sylvester, who is part of East Hull Girls, said: “This will be the first girls’ team representing east Hull in the Yorkshire league. It’s a great club where everyone chips in to help – the players, the parents, anyone who’s involved, we’re one big rugby family.
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“Playing in Yorkshire will be good experience because there is no competition for U12 girls in Hull at the moment and we’re looking for more Year 7s to join us at the minute. All the girls are friends with each other – they’re making lifelong friendships.”
The club hope that playing in Yorkshire will kickstart “a sustainable avenue for all girls in the city to follow their ambitions and goals”. East Hull Girls was formed last year, when girls moving up from mixed rugby had no outlet – Gracie said it was a situation her own sister found herself in.
“At one point she couldn’t play for a team. There wasn’t one whatsoever. There are girls at the club who started playing mixed rugby from being about six or seven years old; there are some who had never played before.
“We have girls who have been with us for the majority of their rugby time and some have come from various clubs throughout Hull. The girls will also be entering the Rhinos Challenge in May; this is going to showcase how talented they truly are.
“We have some fantastic players with mixed abilities who will go far in the rugby community, they play and train in all weathers as a team. None of this would be possible, though, without our coaches Ken, Adam and Ann; Emma, who is our girls’ manager, and all our supportive parents.”
Experienced players or complete novices are welcome at East Hull Girls. Training takes place on Saturdays, from 10.15am to 11.45am, at the Waudby Centre, Hemswell Avenue, HU9 5DL – weeknight training is also getting established, on Wednesdays, 5pm to 6pm.
East Hull Girls also welcome anyone looking for sponsorship opportunities or who is able to support the club in any way. For more information or to make contact, find east hull girls on Facebook and East.hull.girls on TikTok.