Huddersfield Giants are taking steps to develop closer links between themselves and the area’s amateur clubs.
The Super League club are hosting a number of community workshops, with the hope that everyone will benefit.
For the Giants, it’s the chance to keep a close eye on the region’s top young talent as they look to lead the way on the junior development front, while for the amateur team’s themselves it’s a golden opportunity for their coaches to get tips off the professional.
The latest workshop was hosted by Giants Head of Youth Development Andy Kelly, who gave a presentation on the professional club’s junior and senior programmes, with over 20 coaches in attendance.
And Giants’ Player Performance Manager Steve Hardisty believes such meetings are invaluable.
“Andy Kelly went through a presentation on our academy and our ethos, and also touched on player development within Rugby League, from the community coaches right through to the coaches in the professional teams,” he explained.
“At the end of the day, the club gains massively from having nights like these.
“It’s all about making a few friends and networking. The more people we have on the ground watching these players, the better the quality of player we’ll have to choose from in the end.
“We’re big believers in investing and giving back to those community clubs so we can branch out and have a good relationship with the people we meet.”
The Giants have made no secret of their desire to develop their own talent rather than look at recruiting from overseas, with these community workshops seen as a vital process of making this happen.
