Carnegie Champion Schools Finals 2011
Published on: 25th August 2011
Due to outstanding successes at local and regional competitions pupils from South Leeds Academy yr 7 will represent Leeds’ Schools at the 2011 Champion Schools’ Finals. The school will compete against another Yorkshire school, Brooksbank from Halifax and will be the curtain raiser on the main Wembley pitch to the cup final between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors
Coached by their PE teacher, Ben Clark and the Leeds Rugby Foundation development manager, Jonny Wainhouse the team has been training twice a week during the school holidays. Although the team doesn’t need any encouragement the management at John Charles Centre for Sport allowed the young players to have their final field training session on the main pitch.
As with any many great achievements there is always a cost involved, the SLA is funding the travel expense with various fund raising efforts from parents and players. A number of the school’s pupils had never played rugby league before and didn’t even have rugby boots to play in the early rounds, therefore a combination of wearing trainers or borrowing friends’ rugby boots. As the Leeds development officer Andrew Wilson was informed of the situation and offered to access funding to purchase the boots. On contacting the Garry Chappelow Memorial Fund they agreed to purchase the four sets required.
PE teacher Ben Clark said “Once again many thanks to the Garry Chapplow Memorial Fund and Leeds City Council’s Sport Development and the for the support in the purchasing of the boots and allowing the team to train on the main pitch. The lads really enjoyed this experience and I am sure it will help them prepare for the Wembley experience of playing in front of 80,000 spectators.”
The boys who received the boots were Eddie Clark, Jack Connor, Lewis Kemp-Lowe and Robert Wingate. Out of these boys only one had ever played rugby league before coming to South Leeds Academy. Eddie has now established himself to be one of the first choice front rowers, with the others complimenting the team.
For further information on Rugby League opportunities in Leeds please contact: E-mail: andrew.g.wilson@leeds.gov.uk Tel: 0113 3950163
