WARRINGTON Wolves Academy has been awarded an outstanding rating by the Rugby Football League’s independent assessors.
The club’s academy structures and development programmes were assessed last month covering all areas from player welfare and programme delivery to leadership and management.
Last year the club was rated ‘good’ so to have been upgraded to ‘outstanding’ shows the great strides the youth development team has made over the last 12 months.
The assessors recognised the high value the club places on the academy including the development plans in place with a strong working relationship with the first team. The recent investment in the training facilities available to players of all ages was also documented as was the emphasis the club places on player welfare and their personal development away from the rugby pitch.
The official feedback statement reads: “Warrington Wolves have continued to progress and this has seen them attaining the ‘Outstanding’ Academy status. This has come through investment and development of the infrastructure, systems and facilities that support the player’s development. All stakeholders are behind the philosophy of the club of producing home-grown players and has seen an increase in the number of players promoting through to the first team squad and playing for the first team. The systems now in place will ultimately advance the players’ opportunities in the academy to follow the same pathway.”
Warrington chief executive Roger Draper added: “On behalf of the club I would like to congratulate the youth development department on this achievement. It is much deserved recognition and testament to the hard work put in by all involved in the development of young players at the club. This is not something that has happened over night, it is a result of years of investment and time by so many including Squadbuilder and the Vice Presidents Association whose efforts and support must be commended.
“It is fantastic to see this hard work bearing fruit now with home-grown talent making their mark in the side with the likes of Ben Currie, James Laithwaite and Declan Patton fitting in seamlessly.
“We are proud as a club to be developing good people as well as good players; investing in these young players away from the rugby pitch is just as important and credit must go to all those working behind the scenes.
“It is now important that we continue to build on this great work year on year.”
