Tigers Foundation and University Centre Leeds announce new partnership

Castleford Tigers Foundation and University Centre Leeds are thrilled to be announcing a new partnership which will provide educational opportunities for students and players alike.

The collaboration between the Foundation and the University will play a significant role in expanding the Club’s playing provisions, whilst offering students a comprehensive educational pathway onto the various courses that University Centre Leeds provide.

This landmark agreement opens up a new player pathway and talent pool where the Club will gain the chance to see the progression of players from the age of 15 all the way through their university life. Furthermore, players will gain access to a dual career by taking this route by gaining higher education qualifications alongside playing prospects at the Tigers.

It’s a partnership which will also see the introduction of a brand-new British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Super Rugby team at the University in conjunction with Castleford Tigers.

The team will offer male and female players who are leaving school with aspirations of progressing towards competing at a higher level in the professional or community game, the prospect at taking part in the top rugby league competition at university level.

Furthermore, the team will also work alongside the Tigers’ player development pathway, which implies that players who impress at BUCS level may go on to be offered opportunities in Castleford’s Academy and Reserve setup before potentially going on to play professionally.

The Tigers BUCS squad will also be open to students who may partake in other sports and would like to try their hand at rugby league.

If you are interested in finding out more about the courses available please click the link HERE or to check out the prospectus HERE.

Rob Nickolay, who is the Tigers’ Head of Youth Development, outlined the positive impact the partnership will have in terms of the player pathways available at the Club.

“From our side of things at Castleford Tigers, it’s an exciting time for the Club as we start building educations provisions which will now allow us to work with players from as young as 13, 14 years old, to Scholarship, Academy, and Reserves programme. Alongside those pathways there will be educational provisions alongside it all the way from secondary school to degree level and then even on to a Masters. We are really lucky that we have partnered up with UCL and that we are able to provide that richness in education and sport.”

Head of Sport and Health at University Centre Leeds, Rebecca Fores, put forward that the agreement will allow students to gain vital expertise to reach their future goals in employment.

“We are really looking forward to developing opportunities for Rugby League players to study a degree programme alongside a professional sporting pathway. Not only will this programme enable student athletes to enhance their playing capabilities, but the programme will offer each individual the opportunity to enhance the skills required for employment within the sporting sector.”