Fylde Rugby Football Club has announced the launch of a new Community Rugby Department which will deliver a range of sports projects and supply quality coaching to schools and organisations in the local area.

The department – which will be headed by a newly appointed Head of Community – has been established following close work between the Fylde RFC Chairman Dave Young, Hon. Secretary David Wiseman and Managing Director of Sports in Schools Ltd Matt Price. Sports In Schools currently operate a number of successful community departments for rugby clubs across the UK, including Bedford Blues, Richmond Rugby, Coventry Rugby and Birmingham Moseley RFC.

With over 300 schools and organisations across the Lancashire area, there is a fantastic opportunity to build stronger links within the community, deliver high quality sports provision and provide sustained support to the next generation of rugby players who might one day pull on a Fylde Rugby jersey.

Chairman of Fylde RFC, Dave Young, said: “Investing in the local community is one of the key strategic challenges we have identified to give direction to the Club.  The community department will enable the Club to re-establish links within the local area which have been lost over the past few years. It will also provide additional support to our Mini Junior players and coaches and an opportunity for some of our senior players to gain valuable coaching experience to help develop their careers.”

Fylde RFC Hon. Secretary, David Wiseman, added: “Having read about Sports in Schools work at other clubs, I made contact with Matt and it was clear that this was a great opportunity for the Club in so many ways”

Managing Director of Sports in Schools Ltd, Matt Price, commented: “A community department is now a major part of a rugby clubs operational activity and with Fylde Rugby Football Club being the prominent rugby side in the area and being well known as a family and community club, it makes complete sense. We’ve had positive feedback already with schools wanting coaching from us which just underlines the demand and that they want Fylde Rugby in the community delivering this. It’s exciting times all round and Sports In Schools is delighted to be a part of it.”

Source : Fylde Rugby