Jody Shaw is to step down as head coach of Huddersfield YMCA at the end of this season.

The 34-year-old has been in charge at Laund Hill for six years and taken them from the depths of Yorkshire II to the verge of playing national league rugby union for the first time in their history.

YMCA entertain Old Crossleyans at Laund Hill on Saturday, April 12, (3.00) in their final North I East fixture of the season knowing they have a promotion play-off to look forward to in two weeks time against either Birkenhead Park or Wirral for a place in National III North.

“I’m proud and privileged to have been coach at such a fantastic club as YM and being a part of an era in which we’ve had promotions from Yorkshire II and Yorkshire I and, hopefully, fingers crossed, another promotion from North I to national level,” said Shaw.

“I’ve loved every minute of the six years, but I informed our director of rugby, Damon Scholes, and chairman, Nigel Lumb, back in February that I needed to take time out because of my young family at home and my commitments at work and that I would be standing down at the end of the season.

“We told the players last weekend, before our win at Pocklington, that the play-off final will be my last match as I’m just shattered, really, and need to take a breather.

“Having said that, it’s been the hardest decision of my rugby career because of the fact of where we are and where we’ve come from, allied to a bunch of people who have been an absolute dream to work with.”

Shaw played with Cleckheaton RU and also rugby league at National Conference level with Bradford Dudley Hill and Stanningley before joining St Joseph’s in Huddersfield as coach, leading them to Holliday Cup success and promotions in the Pennine League.

It was there he caught the eye of Scholes, who took him to Halifax Vandals RU for half a season before the pair of them joined YMCA.

“When Damon and I sat down in the clubhouse six years ago, YM were on a bit of a downer and languishing at the bottom of Yorkshire II, but the potential was massive,” added Shaw.

“I remember Damon’s eyes lighting up and him saying ‘we can do something huge at this place’ and we set out a five-year plan to be playing regional rugby in five years, which we achieved in four.

“As I said to the players this week, hopefully we can go even better and we can finish in the play-offs with promotion to the national leagues.

“That would be great from a personal point of view but also from the club’s standpoint, because everything is in place with Damon as director of rugby and our coaches, Mark Whitehead and Neil Walker, to keep things moving forward solidly.

“Everyone has pulled in one direction at YM to get us to where we are and, regardless of what happens in the play-offs in two weeks time, the club will keep moving forward.”

Scholes says Shaw has done a tremendous job.

“Jody has been a great ambassador for this club,” said Scholes.

“His enthusiasm and will to win have been key to helping us to hopefully gain three promotions in five years.

“In his time in charge we have gone from Yorkshire II to the brink of the National Leagues, and we know that wouldn’t have been achieved without Jody.

“In the time we have both been here we have become great mates, and I’m sure he knows all of the players respect him 100%.”

YMCA make one change for the derby against Old Crossleyans, with Simon Wilson returning at No9 for Josh Willans.

YMCA: Johnson, Stead, Ryder, Barber, Bentley, Wood, Wilson, Wrafter, Murphy, Dyke (Stu), Robertson, Housley, Lumb, Hodge, Whitehead. Bench: Willans, Hill, Nightingale.

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