Academy, rugby on the same side

rugby league could play a key role in building community links at the new Waterhead Academy.

The area’s strong ties with rugby clubs such as St Anne’s, Waterhead and Higginshaw, will be used to support the new academy, build community links and ease the change from primary to secondary schools.

A new borough-wide rugby league service area co-ordinator will be appointed for the next three years, funded jointly by the Rugby League and Oldham Council’s transforming learning budget.

The job is being advertised now and whoever gets it will build on work being done already at Breezehill and Counthill schools, which merge in September to become Waterhead Academy.

Local star Paul Sculthorpe, who played for St Helen’s and was the GB Rugby League skipper, and now runs Scully 13 coaching company, and Ikram Butt, the former Leeds Rhinos player and first British Asian to play for Great Britain, have already held coaching and taster sessions.

The aim of the new co-ordinator is to increase numbers taking part in the sport, develop local clubs, and aid community cohesion, focusing on involvement with the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Oldham has 52 rugby league sides, a good voluntary structure and strong links with the sport at all levels — producing highly talented players at national and Great Britain level.

But rugby also has an element of stereotyping and lacks engagement with black and ethnic communities, according to a report from Neil Consterdine, the head of Oldham’s Integrated Youth Service.

But with a strong local club structure and a new co-ordinator, he says modified forms of the game, and coach and club education around equality and diversity, could make a real difference

He added: “We will work in the schools with PE staff and different faculties. Part of this is enhancing what we already do and using rugby as a tool to get people more physically active. The support of local clubs is crucial. These are exciting times and there is a lot going on.”

The new co-ordinator will work across the borough, and follows a similar role for a community cricket officer working in Oldham and funded by the English Cricket Board.

The report says there could also be an important role for Counthill playing fields, which are already used by Waterhead RL Club, and for training camps and matches.

Capital investment could lead to a community sports hub and a potential site for a talent academy; and a centre of excellence for rugby league.

The new co-ordinator would play a key role in the development and access funds.