The Ofcial Magazine of Rugby League Cares Spring/Summer 2019 The Ofcial Magazine of Rugby League Cares Spring/Summer 2019 2 [email protected] rugbyleaguecares.org /RugbyLeagueCares /rlcares TB10914 All Sport RL Cares newsletter Advert 210x297mm.indd 1 18/03/2019 14:26 Spring/Summer 2019 The Ofcial Magazine of Rugby League Cares WELCOME IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE THE LAST EDITION OF ONE IN, ALL IN, OUR NEWSLETTER INFORMING PEOPLE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CHARITY AND ITS STAFF. HOPEFULLY, THE NEXT FEW PAGES WILL EXPLAIN WHY! A lot has happened since last summer their heroes make in the pursuit of BY FAR AND AWAY and in that time our work has continued excellence and success for their favourite THE MOST SIGNIFICANT to develop and support an ever- teams. increasing number of people involved in DEVELOPMENT FOR Some of those sacrifices are obvious, the sport at all levels. RUGBY LEAGUE CARES such as the toll the sport takes on the IS THAT FROM JANUARY We have launched the very successful bodies of these young men and women, Back Onside project, which you can read and the knock-on efect that this can 1,2019 WE HAVE BEEN about on pages 10 and 11; and Ofoad, have in later life. RESPONSIBLE FOR our massively successful mental fitness It’s the hidden challenges where most of DELIVERING PLAYER programme, has concluded its two-year our eforts go, helping players leave the WELFARE TO THE pilot phase. sport in a good emotional shape and as PROFESSIONAL AND We are now working hard to secure confident as they can be as they set out SEMI-PROFESSIONAL additional funding to ensure that on new career paths. GAME this initiative, which was delivered in Equally important is the challenge partnership with State of Mind and the of helping young men to manage charitable foundations at Warrington their finances whilst living the dream of Wolves, Widnes Vikings and Salford Red being both a professional Rugby League Devils, can continue to be made available player and a local hero. The truth of the to all those in these key Rugby League matter is that if these aspects of a player’s communities. life are not managed and supported, they By far and away the most significant can face real difculties when they leave development for Rugby League Cares the sport. is that from January 1,2019 we have As the players’ charity, we are also there been responsible for delivering player for them when things go wrong: by then, welfare to the professional and semi- the damage done can be lasting which is professional game. why we are working hard to equip players I would like to express my thanks to the with the tools they need to succeed a Rugby Football League for leading on this second time around. process and for the confidence they have The Rugby League Cares Business Club shown in the organisation. exists to support players, both during and after their careers, and we are delighted Full details of how this important change that more companies are coming on came about, including the exciting board to make their services available to recruitment process it has inspired, are the game’s most important stakeholders. detailed elsewhere in this edition. Our thanks go out to our partners old and One of our challenges we and the wider new for their continued support. sport face in raising the funds needed to Thank you to everyone who picks up this support their needs is that Rugby League edition of One In, All In: I hope you enjoy players aren’t necessarily the easiest sell reading about our work and ask, if you do in a charitable context. They certainly like what you read, that you spread don’t pull on the heartstrings in the same the word about Rugby League way as flufy kittens, children or French Cares and help in any way medieval churches do! that you can. We are obviously not trying to compete with these very worthy causes. Having Chris Rostron said that, we believe that most Rugby HEAD OF RUGBY League fans do recognise the sacrifices LEAGUE CARES [email protected] rugbyleaguecares.org /RugbyLeagueCares /rlcares 3 18/03/2019 14:26 The Ofcial Magazine of Rugby League Cares Spring/Summer 2019 About Rugby League Cares Established in 2013, Rugby League Cares is an independent charity that touches on the lives of people involved at every level of the sport. The charity has responsibility for delivering player welfare programmes to the professional and semi-professional game: it supports players at the end of their careers when they make the transition to life after rugby, providing education and training grants that will equip them with the skills and 25 GET WITH THE PROGRAMME qualifications they need for the IN THIS ISSUE... How one man’s obsession has next stage of their lives. helped create a National Rugby The charity is also there for League Programme Archive current and former players who 5 PUTTING PLAYERS FIRST are enduring poor health or How the charity is gearing up 26 THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED hardship by ofering practical and to provide an unprecedented A look back on the cycling financial support. level of support for players adventure that raised £30,000 RL Cares champions the sport’s for RL Cares and almost rich heritage and is the custodian 9 GET LUCKY WITH CAFFÈ NERO provoked a diplomatic incident of its collections and archives, Everyone’s a winner in the which are staged in a state-of- the-art facility at the University of 2019 Community Game Rafe 28 THE CHAIRMAN SPEAKS Huddersfield, Heritage Quay. thank to the award-winning Tim Adams explains why RL High Street cofee house Cares is perfectly placed to The charity is aiming to open the sport’s first-ever National Rugby develop the sport’s player League Museum within the Grade 10 GET BACK TO FITNESS welfare programme 1-listed City Hall in Bradford. Introducing Back Onside, our exciting new men’s health 34 SONGS IN THE QUAY OF LIFE RL Cares also promotes mental fitness and healthy lifestyle programme that’s transforming A volunteer’s-eye view of initiatives through projects such the lives of Rugby League fans the best way to access our as Ofoad and Back Onside that fantastic archive stored at the are having a positive impact on 13 RUGBY LEAGUE LEGEND University of Huddersfield the lives of men across the UK. BARES HIS SOUL www.rugbyleaguecares.org Andy Gregory outlines how 37 MAKING A DIFFERENCE How taking part in our Ofoad @RLCares RL Cares helped turn his life around programme is helping one man Facebook.com/ win his long-running battle with RugbyLeagueCares 17 FORGING A NEW LIFE mental illness One In, All In is edited by After breaking his back playing RL Cares Communications Rugby League, Danny Scott 40 LIVING IN THE HALL OF FAME Manager John Ledger. We remains upbeat with help from Three more player are would like to thank all our inducted into the sport’s most contributors for their support, the RL Benevolent Fund including SWpix, Andrew Varley exclusive club Photography, Matthew Merrick 18 TAKE A CHANCE ON ME Photography, Stuart Sheard, The sporting charity founded 43 CELEBRATING RUGBY Brigid Power and Liam Parker. by Tony Adams that provides LEAGUE’S RICH HERITAGE Published by hope and support for Rugby Why our Heritage Manager has Ignition Sports Media League players in trouble gone back to school to study 01347 822276 / 01736 362009 for a ground-breaking PhD Printed by 21 DEGREES OF DIFFICULTY S&G Print Group French international Kevin 50 MEET THE TEAM www.stephensandgeorge.co.uk Larroyer explains how RL Cares How to get in touch with the has helped him devise a Plan B people behind RL Cares 4 [email protected] rugbyleaguecares.org /RugbyLeagueCares /rlcares Spring/Summer 2019 The Ofcial Magazine of Rugby League Cares NEWS RL CARES WORKING FOR THE PLAYERS, FOR THE GAME THE SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO THE SPORT’S MOST IMPORTANT will be there for former players who are STAKEHOLDERS, ITS PLAYERS, HAS REACHED UNPRECEDENTED accessing support from organisations such as Sporting Chance. LEVELS IN 2019 FOLLOWING THE TRANSFER OF FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLAYER WELFARE PROVISION TO RUGBY “Julie is already well known to many members of the playing community LEAGUE CARES FROM JANUARY 1. through her consultancy work with the Players have been at the heart of Within weeks of the move, RL Cares RFL and her appointment in a full-time everything it does since it was formed in demonstrated its commitment to capacity ensures that many more players 2013, but the new arrangements have supporting players with the appointment will benefit from her expertise.” firmly established RL Cares as the of Julie Measures as the sport’s first full- players’ charity. time Career Coach (see Page 20). THE RFL HAS DONE The independence of RL Cares means the The charity followed up that appointment A FANTASTIC JOB IN charity is perfectly positioned to support with the recruitment of Steve McCormack DELIVERING A PLAYER players, regardless of any contractual from Wigan Warriors as Transition Manager dispute they may have with their club, or (see Page 22), in another first for the sport. WELFARE PROGRAMME any other issues involving the governing Steve will work alongside full-time IN DIFFICULT body or other agencies. players as they approach the end of their CIRCUMSTANCES, RL Cares Chairman Tim Adams said: “This playing careers to help them prepare for WITHOUT GETTING THE is a very exciting move for us.