Varley looks to build on last season as Tigresses captain

Everyone dreams of playing for their hometown club and to achieve that, it’s something special. But, in Kaitlin Varley’s case, she gets to captain the club for the second successive season this season as the Tigresses embark on another campaign together.

For Kaitlin, it’s a dream come true to be named captain again, and it really shows what the club means to her.

“It’s really special to me. I’m from the Castleford area so to be captain of your hometown club, it’s special. My first game, I was really excited, and I never thought I'd get to play for the club, let alone captain the girls, I was really excited.”

After the successful coverage of the Women’s World Cup, more eyes than ever before will be on the competition this year. Following on from that, Sky Sports and OurLeague have agreed to increase their coverage of the Women’s game in 2023, showing more matches than ever before. Added to that, the widespread celebration of International Women’s Day across the game as a whole brought a new perspective. Kaitlin and the Tigresses team did a lap of honour at Castleford’s International Women’s Day fixture in March and that made the girls feel special, valued and of course, part of the Tigers family that they hold a special place in.

“The women’s game is making big stepping stones at the moment, so pushing it even more over the next couple of years is going to be really good for the sport. Being around on the international women’s day fixture was really important for us. It shows the club values us as women and the women’s team itself.”

The Women have been hard at work in the off-season and have recruited really well. Under the watchful eye of their coaches and Captain Kaitlin, you wouldn’t have thought that there were new players involved in the team, due to the sheer togetherness shown both on and off the field.

“Pre-season has been tough but it’s been really good to get the girls in. We’ve all really enjoyed it and we’re gelling more as a group every single week. You can’t even tell that there’s new faces in the team. Everyone fits in really well and things are coming together, which as the captain, you love to see.”

Now the captain for at least another year, Varley has outlined her ambition to have a brilliant season, and the building blocks have been well and truly been put into place after last season’s campaign.

“It’s my second season as captain, so I’m hoping to build on last season and have a bigger and better season this year with the girls. I’m really excited.”

The Tigresses get their 2023 season underway this Sunday at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle against Salford Red Devils with a 2pm kick-off scheduled!