Tigers announce unique Community partnership

Castleford Tigers are delighted to announce a brand new, multi-layered partnership with local school, Airedale Academy.

The Club and the school have a long-standing relationship with a wealth of iconic names ‘graduating;’ from Airedale Academy to represent the ‘Fords both on and off the field. The club’s community department, the ‘Tigers Foundation’ also deliver the rapidly expanding College programme with education lessons being held at the school Sixth Form site.

This new all-encompassing collaboration covers all aspects of school life with the Tigers Foundation continuing to implement its Read to Succeed programme across all age groups alongside an expanded Sixth Form education range of courses, creation new school boys and girls Rugby League teams competing in RFL tournaments as well as building a brand new gym to house the RFL recognised ‘outstanding’ Tigers Academy.

Principal of Airedale Academy, Lyndsey Proctor, spoke of her delight at the new collaboration between her school and Castleford Tigers:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be entering a formal partnership with Castleford Tigers. We’ve worked with the Tigers for a number of years and to be able to formalise this will greatly benefit our students, staff and our community.

“It’s equally around the opportunities that being involved with a massive organisation will bring as much as the physical education side of things. It will provide all sorts of avenues, not just about aspiring to be a professional athlete, it’s about aspiring to be part of a world-class organisation.

“Part of our moral obligation as a community school is to have the best facilities we can have that can be used by our students and the wider school community. We are thrilled with the work that has already started to happen which will mean that our school and community will get the absolute best."

This partnership will also see the joint venture of upgrading the sporting facilities at the Academy, eventually acting as a brand-new training base for the Tigers’ Youth teams whilst also being available for community engagements such as the Foundation’s Paws Dance Academy.

Crucially, the new first-class physical education equipment and provisions will also be available for the students of Airedale Academy to enhance their studies, growing and maintaining their physical fitness and mental well-being.

In a unique move, students at Airedale will also be provided with the opportunity to visit The MAH Jungle and experience the inner workings of the Tigers. Pupils will be presented with opportunities to undertake work experience placements across all aspects of the Club. From video analysis, social media and PR, accounting, community placements, operations and

commercial departments, a raft of opportunities will be available solely to pupils of the school allowing them to gain hands-on skills and learning.

Two-time Challenge Cup winner and Tigers icon Liam Watts was a graduate of Airedale Academy, a place where he gleaned valuable life skills and learning prior to embarking on a successful rugby league career.

Liam commented:

“The expansion of this partnership has been in the pipeline for a while with our Rugby Academy students coming up here to study courses that is a great option for them during and after rugby. I’m one of the ‘graduates’ from here and it’s great for us to have a partnership with Airedale Academy. Hopefully, the kids that are coming through the school can go on and play for Castleford Tigers and this official partnership is only going to help strengthen that pathway and make the school a really appealing place to learn and play.”

Alongside the exciting new learning and sporting provision, every Year 7 pupil will receive a Castleford Tigers Season Ticket in a move that recognises the mutual commitment to support young people in the District align their learning and social opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Fords’ Head of Youth Development Rob Nickolay outlined how vital the new provisions will be in helping his young prospects in reaching their goal of playing for the Club at First Team level:

“Having a bespoke training facility where we can be based and our Academy and Scholarship can call their home will be a massive mutual benefit. Having that access and integrating with Airedale Academy as a school is huge for us and the support they have shown has been fantastic. They have the attitude right across the board to really push this programme forward and they are particularly forthcoming with new ideas on how we can operate which is going to add so much value to our young players coming through and crucially to ensuring the school is one of the finest and most attractive in the Wakefield District.”

Former Castleford player and member of the heralded 1986 Challenge Cup Final winning squad Gary Hyde, hails from Airedale and attended the academy before going on to proudly represent his hometown club for ten years between 1978 and 1988.

Hyde was thrilled to hear of the news of a formal affiliation between his former school and the club he holds so dear by putting forward how he would have jumped at the chance if an opportunity like this arose back when he attended the school.

“For the kids who are interested in rugby to have that attachment to Cas is only going to make them want to go there. It’s something that I wish I had the opportunity to do when I was a kid. We’ve had the likes of Bob and Kevin Beardmore come through the school and now on top of that, you’ve got the likes of Liam Watts, James Clare, Joe Westerman and Daryl Clarke amongst others. It’s a great history and we need to encourage more youngsters coming from the area to go on to play for Cas.

“The academic side of it is also crucially important as well because a rugby league career is short and equally there are so many ‘off-field’ jobs now for students who are looking for ways to be involved in sport and business. To now have that education and sport ‘in sync’ at the Academy along with the playing side is an incredible opportunity for any youngster and for the Town as a whole.”