Hull KR's community coach development programme completed with big plans to follow
Hull Kingston Rovers coach Willie Peters delivering a video session was the culmination of the club's community coach development programme - with another one being planned currently.
Run in conjunction with the University of Hull, the aim of the 2024 programme, which ran from January to September, was to improve the experience of junior players and coaches in East Yorkshire. Peters attended the final session, going through a preview session on Leeds Rhinos, Rovers' final Super League regular-season opponents. A 2025 programme will start again in a few months' time with Rob Wilson, of Hull KR, processing interest in joining.
The 2024 programme included information on planning sessions, fundamental skills, nutrition and well-being, strength and conditioning, behaviour of coaches, parents and players, and evaluating sessions, performance and goals.
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Discussing Peters' special guest session to close the programme, Hull KR's head of academy Jason Netherton said: "Willie kindly agreed to go through one of his preview sessions. He went through a video session with them on what the first team was looking for and how they were planning on playing in that Leeds game. It was a bit of an eye opener for the coaches on the amount of detail that goes into that kind of planning at the elite level. I think they all loved it."
Speaking about the programme itself, Netherton said: "We'd done little bits and pieces with the coaches in the community game and thought it's time we did a proper programme. With the community coaches, they all go to work every day and they all do that in their spare time and they do it to help the kids out because they have a passion for developing lads and kids and helping them to get better and become better people. I thought it was time we gave something back to them and helped them do their job.
"The coaches had to apply to go on because if we just opened it up then people could turn up and then not come to the next session. The coaches had to commit to being on this programme - and we had about 25 in total.
"We tried to make it as varied as we could and as interactive as we could. And we started a community group where they can help each other because in rugby league there can be rivalry between different clubs but we wanted to break those barriers down. We will improve on it next year.
"The community game is where we get players from, so we want the young people playing the game to have a fantastic experience. The key indicator at community level is retention, if the players keep coming back. If they are then the coaches know they are doing something right.
"When it becomes more professional, when they are signing for Hull FC and Hull KR, then it becomes a little bit more important but, at community level, it's getting the kids there and making sure they enjoy the experience of being at these clubs."
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