Former Oldham player Joe Warburton, charged with the big task of delivering Oldham RLFC’s local-youth programme, has talked of the chance phone call that revealed a whole network of rugby league that’s going on in local schools.
There are girls’ teams at Crompton House, Bluecoat and Saddleworth Schools to say nothing of boys’ rugby league which Roughyeds already have on their radar thanks to Joe’s heavy involvement with the RFL and its Pathway programme although that’s a different issue because it’s more to do with what youngsters do outside school hours rather than in school in term time; in other words whether they are involved with, or play for, a local club. There are two separate topics here – schools and clubs.
Roughyeds’ managing director Mike Ford, himself a former Oldham and Great Britain star and Oldham player-coach, also once a leading coach in Rugby Union up to international level, has spoken many times about his determination to see Oldham kids interested in, supporting and maybe dreaming of the day they will be playing for the Roughyeds as he did when growing up at Saddleworth School with Phil Larder as his PE and games teacher
Its against that background that Warburton, a former Oldham player, a qualified coach and current secretary of the Oldham Players’ Association, has been named by Oldham RLFC as their youth development man, writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
A man with a lot of experience in this field, Joe was firmly of the belief that there was very little Rugby League going on in Oldham these day at that level. How wrong can you be !
He said:
“I got a phone call from Crompton House and from that I discovered there were girls teams already at three local schools. In conjunction with Beth Sutcliffe, our girls’ development officer, we will be building relationships with those schools.
“It has also become known that Salford are active in Failsworth at school level (boys), and it has been well documented that we are linked with Leeds Rhinos on the Pathway programme. To be honest, I’ve had a surprise at how much rugby league at youth level is actually played in our area. It’s my belief that Roughyeds should be involved in ALL Rugby League played at youth level in Oldham whether that be schoolboy rugby or youth rugby at local clubs
Things are going very well indeed with the Pathway programme. We are making good progress and we’ll soon be playing games against lads from other towns under the RFL’s jurisdiction and their Pathway programme.
“There’s a lot of work to be done but Beth Sutcliffe and I are up for it and we are working hard behind the scenes. It’s all looking good.”
Beth Sutcliffe is a former England international, who played in four women’s World Cup tournaments. She’s played for and coached Bradford Bulls women and at the age of 41 she’s a trustee of RL Cares.
To speak to Joe on any matters relating to the above ring 07882848340.
