NWC Juniors U8 s U12 s NWC Y & J U13 s U15 s NWC Youth U16 s U18 s
Revised Youth Development Policy ** Player Development Clubs to be removed from the program** Academies U16-U19 A three tier Academy structure will be developed with 4 year Licenses Up to 12 x Category 1 Full-Time Academies Up to 4 x Category 2 Part-Time Academies Unlimited Category 3 Education Academies 14 Game Fixture program to run within the Community game season 34 Players per Category 1 Academy Scholarship Program 20 Players per Category 2 Academy Scholarship Program ** Category 1 Academies will be the Primary Registrar of ALL Scholars ** Scholars will be registered with their respective Category 1 Academy and Dual Registered back to their Community Club The Scholars playing and training schedule throughout the season will be solely determined by their Primary Registrar It is the Community Clubs responsibility to replace those players within their club who progress on the talent pathway and in to a Scholarship environment ** Y&J Management Forum 26 th July 2014 - Dave Rotheram (Head of Talent & Player Development RFL) **
Sent: Friday, 5 September 2014, 15:35 Subject: Youth and Junior management group revised meeting dates (Circulated on behalf of David Gent, Director of Participation and Strategic Partnerships) Dear Youth and Junior Management Group member, The proposed Youth and Junior meeting scheduled to take place on 13th September will be postponed, this will now take place on Saturday 18th October. One of the reasons for this is that the Community Board will now not meet on the 22nd October, the new date for the Community Board meeting will be 18th November. This gives all of us more time to consider the proposals. The already planned Youth and Junior meeting for the 8th November will go ahead as normal. Therefore to confirm:- Saturday 18th October Youth & Junior Management Group Meeting (to replace the additional meeting that had been pencilled in for 13th September) Saturday 8th November Youth & Junior Management Group Meeting (as per the original schedule) Tuesday 18th November Community Board Meeting (to replace the meeting that was scheduled for 22nd October) Between now and the next Youth & Junior Management Group meeting (18th October) I have asked each of the Club and Competition Managers assigned to your league to meet with you, to discuss the proposals in detail and gain the clarification needed. The intention is that at the meeting on the 18th October the results of all of those discussions will all be brought together into one document for the group to consider. The idea is that the document would ultimately be circulated to the wider game so they understand the proposals. We would then meet again on the 8th November to finalise the document. The Community Board will consider the document on the 18th November. I also wish to clarify the role of the Community Board Player Production Group in this process. The members of this group are solely members of the Community Board and it is to provide them an opportunity outside of the normal run of Community Board meetings to discuss the proposals in detail and discuss how best they can be implemented or what changes are needed. This is so as to ensure that at the next Community Board, a full and insightful discussion can be had to get an agreed approach on the player production system. I must stress in this process and eventually agreed policy it has to be a whole game solution and there has to be a level of compromise from all aspects of the game, both professional and community, to achieve a workable policy. The ultimate decision of what is the policy lies solely with the RFL Board. This process is to allow the RFL Board to gain a full understanding of how the Community Game best believes we can have a successful player production and youth development system. Thanks for your ongoing assistance in this matter. David David Gent Director of Participation and Strategic Partnerships
NWC Juniors U8 s U12 s NWC Y & J U13 s U15 s NWC Youth U16 s U18 s
Transparently manage and administer all aspects of the day to day running of the league, its competitions and its membership in the bests interests of the sport at Community club level within the North West Counties Provide a conduit for our membership through regular open forums of transparent discussion to access information, advice and resources that safeguards their immediate and long term welfare NWC Y&J Leagues Primary objectives Develop and administer robust competition structures that retain their integrity in the interests of all member clubs and their respective participants Deliver a consistent and balanced playing calendar that considers and facilitates the requirements of all teams and their players across the entire ability spectrum
Player availability Community club training sessions Most teams train twice a week at U15 s & U16 s Facilitating this is a requirement if we are to develop ALL players Player availability Regional league competition Fixture clashes with scholarship games deliver fragmented playing schedules, fixture backlog and devalued competitions Scholarship Impact Areas of concern Non Scholars Fragmented training and playing schedules impact negatively and do not fulfil the social, mental and physical requirements of the majority. These players are the future of the Community game Scholars Primary Registrar Potential to restrict the participation of scholars in both the training and playing environment of their community club on a regular basis
Squad Size 34 Scholars per Category 1 Academy scholarship squad 17 x U15 s & 17 x U16 s Fixture Program A maximum of 8 fixtures To be played throughout a single window during July and August Scholarship Recommendations Scholarship Training Community game season All Scholarship training sessions to be held on one agreed night each week across all SL clubs Scholar Activity Scholarship Window During this period all scholars training and playing activity to be determined by their respective Category 1 Academy
North West Counties - U15's & U16's - 2016 Calendar (Recommendation) Month Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 January No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture February No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture March 6th - NWC 13th - NWC 20th - NWC 27th - BH April 3rd - NWC 10th - NWC 17th - NWC 24th - NWC May 1st - BH 8th - NWC 15th - NWC 22nd - NWC 29th - BH June 5th - NWC 12th - NWC 19th - NWC 26th - NWC July 3rd - Scholars 10th - Scholars 17th - Scholars 24th - Scholars 31st - Scholars August 7th - Scholars 14th - Scholars 21st - Scholars 28th - BH September 4th - NWC 11th - NWC 18th - NWC 25th - NWC October 2nd - NWC 9th - NWC 16th - NWC 23rd - NWC 30th - NWC November 6th - NWC 13th - NWC 20th - NWC 27th - NWC December No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture No Fixture NWC 27 Weeks Potential 22-24 Fixture program Scholars 8 Weeks 8 Fixture program Bank Holidays 4 Weeks Option for Alternative/Backlog fixtures Total 39 Weeks Scholars will play a maximum of 28 fixtures
Will assist in retaining the integrity of all respective competitions and their participants Increased player availability within regional league competitions Increased player availability at Community club training sessions Removes any conflict that could be attributed to a players registration status What are the likely benefits for the Community game as a result of the recommendations submitted by the NWC Y&J Leagues? No fixture clashes between Regional League & Scholarship program Provides a stable framework to support the development of ALL participants Delivers a transparent and clearly defined training and playing calendar
Delivers a concentrated and uninterrupted window of engagement between scholars, their respective academy and its resources within a professional high performance environment Potential for all scholars to receive equal game time (50% or 4 matches ) throughout the 8 fixture program, with enough squad members to facilitate all possible scenarios during the window What potential benefits could be seen within the Scholarship program as a result of the NWC recommendations? Effectively integrates the talent pathway within both Community club and Professional environments, whilst promoting a development over performance ethos that assists in managing the Burnout theory applied to talented athletes Provides an opportunity for Community club coaches and non scholars to engage, observe and review training sessions and match day preparation/experience within a professional environment and enhance their own individual development
As a region the North West Counties believe that by implementing the recommendations we have proposed, it will assist in supporting a progressive player development model throughout the youth and junior age groups and resolve many of the issues currently faced within the community game as a result of the existing and proposed revisions to the scholarship program Progressive Player Development Player Focused The primary driver in the decision making and planning of programmes Working with players to identify their development needs and fulfil these to achieve the complete player. Coach Enhanced Every coach at every level should enhance the experience for every player. This will be through the quality of delivery, the quality of the experience or the quality of the service provided Environment Supported Providing the appropriate delivery environment for the developmental needs of the player at the appropriate time. This should include, administrators, coaches and parents who are recruited to help drive towards the common goals.
The NWC Youth & Junior Leagues feel that the recommendations they have submitted will actively assist in resolving the issues identified above within the RFL s 2013 March November playing season review North West Counties Youth & Junior Rugby League RFL Playing season review March October 2013 ** Dave Butler National Community Competitions Manager - 31 st December 2013 ** The March to November season structure in Rugby League has presented new challenges to the sport whilst also presenting new opportunities. One of the greatest challenges facing this age group is the integration of a performance playing programme (scholarship games) into a community game season. In the past, performance games took place outside of the regular community playing season. Talented players are in high demand from their Community Club, School and Professional Club. This leads to a conflict on the playing calendar as well as the obvious risk of over playing talented players. Coaches in the community game identify that Scholarship Clubs training on different nights makes it very difficult for Community Clubs with players registered across a number of scholarships to train as one team together. This can lead to disillusionment for the players who are not on scholarship who cannot access a regular training opportunity. Despite guidance, some Scholarship clubs have reported that players are still playing two games in a weekend, with Community clubs placing pressure on the players to back up following a scholarship game. There are times when players feel caught in the middle. Better understanding of player availability issues is required. Research to be conducted with all participants to establish what can be done to mitigate this issue.