SportsFea Developmenttures - unique Schools across the country tournament for have already started on the “A a unique sport” road to Wembley from – that’s the view given by September to December 2005, Andy Harland, the Rugby then at Regional level from A league Football’s National January until the Regional finals, Development Manager, on the which are scheduled in for mammoth success of the third early March. The National Powergen Champion Schools Rounds then kick in from To urnament. March until August when the apart It is hard to disagree, too. finals of the 2005/06 Powergen What other sport is offering Champion Schools Tournament school children the chance to take place. play the sport’s first And the RFL have PE&ST reports on the ever- competitive fixture at the announced that the brand new Wembley Stadium Powergen Champion Schools growing success of the Powergen when it reopens? And what Finals day will be staged at other sport gives school RAF Uxbridge with the children the chance to play in return to the capital in 2006. Champion Schools Rugby League front of 80,000 fans at one of “RAF Uxbridge is a first class the country’s major sporting sports facility and we are tournament… events? delighted to be able to stage 12 PE & Sport Today • Spring 2006 the Powergen Champion stadium. That has created a claim that was difficult to Eagles, Doncaster Lakers and Schools tournament finals huge amount of interest and dispute on this evidence. the South Yorkshire County there, alongside Wembley we expect participation Brynteg Comprehensive, a Sports Partnership has caused stadium, which will be used figures of the competition to rugby union school from a dramatic rise in participation for the Year Seven Boys’ rocket – again! Bridgend, provided the biggest figures in South Yorkshire, Final,” said Harland. “The Powergen Champion shock of the weekend. Their while the same can be said in Schools Tournament is a 40-4 Year Seven win over North Yorkshire thanks to the Thrilling climax unique concept and has already Castleford High – the curtain efforts of the York City The 2005/06 Powergen attained plenty of remarkable raiser to the Challenge Cup Knights and the North Champion Schools successes in its relatively short final at the Millennium Yo rkshire Service Area. tournament may have already lifetime. Now the challenge is Stadium – proved another Even two Derbyshire- started in earnest but it is not to kick-on and move forward measure of the progress rugby based schools have taken part that long since Rugby League’s with the tournament. But with league has made in the this year as Hope Valley and largest tournament came to the hard work of pupils, Principality. Frederick Gent entered the its latest thrilling climax during teachers and the RFL’s “We expect the girls’ tournament for the first time an action-packed weekend in development staff throughout participation figures to really in their history. August 2005. England, Scotland and Wales, show a substantial increase The Powergen Champion The finals of the Powergen there is no reason at all why this year and the whole Schools tournament opens Champion Schools we can’t make those advances tournament will continue to rugby league to a whole new To urnament – one of the key and take the Powergen gather a broader appeal as we audience. St Wilfrid’s school drivers of the RFL’s expansion Champion Schools Tournament enter its fourth campaign,” in Featherstone, a former plan – were staged in Cardiff onto a new level.” added Harland. rugby union stronghold, have on the weekend of the Under the shadow of taken up rugby league for Powergen Challenge Cup Cardiff’s Millennium stadium Yorkshire Region 2006 the first time in living Final. It was the tournament’s on a hot day in August, last Last year 6,630 boys and girls memory and have already most successful year and year’s Powergen Champion from the Yorkshire region progressed to the quarter- officials are already working Schools Tournament Finals took part in the competition finals of the regional towards ensuring the showcased another bucketful while already this year 8,041 competition. continued growth of one of of young talent. And the future players have been registered “Every year the Powergen Rugby League’s major of rugby league certainly looks for the tournament – and Champion Schools development tools. As Andy in good shape judging by the that’s before the girls’ tournament creates an even Harland pointed out: “Next talent on display of these 11- participation figures have even more vibrant and competitive year’s Boys’ Year Seven to 15-year-olds. been finalised! schools rugby league scene Powergen Champion Schools RFL officials claimed all But it’s not surprising when throughout Yorkshire,” said To urnament final will be the year that the standards had you look at what’s on offer. David Raybould, the RFL’s first game of Rugby League to risen in the world’s largest Plenty of hard work and Yo rkshire Regional be held at the new Wembley rugby league competition – a dedication from Sheffield Development Officer. PE & Sport Today • Spring 2006 13 They may as yet to have from 18 different schools. increases the chances of a entering the Powergen had any winners of the Through schools rugby league London team taking part in Champion Schools Powergen Champion Schools in Leeds we are getting a Rugby League’s first ever To urnament and that is a To urnament emerge from number of players playing the fixture at the brand new credit to the competition, our Leeds but those in charge of game. There will be three or Wembley Stadium – the Year sport and the accessibility and schoolboy rugby league in the four club players already in Seven Final of the 2005/06 appeal of Rugby League.” city are more convinced than each team but I think we’re Powergen Champion Schools The diversity Massara talks ever of the strength of the doing a really good job in To urnament. about is highlighted with a game in the city’s educational introducing new players to the London and the South quick look at the successes of establishments. sport and directing them to Regional Development Officer the Powergen Champion their local clubs. James Massara is delighted with Schools Tournament from the Organising “We’ve got 24 active the progress Rugby League is London area. That’s certainly the view of schools in the area whereas making in the capital’s schools: Peter Todd, Leeds Rhinos’ maybe a few years ago we “In 2004 we had 135 schools Excelled Community Development might have only had 12 taking part in the competition Historic south London-based Manager, who plays a large taking part.” across this area. school Whitgift have excelled part in organising schoolboy News of Rob Burrow’s “That was a phenomenal in rugby league after entering rugby league in Leeds. (Leeds & Gt. Britain scrum figure for Rugby League and the Powergen Champion He said: “The way we’ve half) coaching involvement at we hoped it would continue Schools Tournament for the organised the Powergen Airedale High School is to build year-on-year on the last three years. They reached Champion Schools tournament further evidence of the regard back of all the hard work the the national semi-final stage is that we’ve had rallies for a and esteem the Powergen development staff put in at the last year and have in their number of years. Usually the Champion Schools very grassroots level of the ranks rising star John Dooley schools play three or four To urnament is held in. game. In 2005 we have (Croydon Hurricanes and games each and then they go It’s hard to disagree, too – managed to increase the London Broncos Foundation home. What I’ve done then is especially when you look at number of teams taking part Academy captain) and exciting keep the results and I have used the development of schools to 175, which is a participation dual code prospect Adam those results to put together rugby league in London and rise of nearly 30 per cent. To Janowski. our nominations for the the South. make a leap that big in one Guru Nanak, a Sikh Powergen Champion Schools. This year has seen a huge year says a great deal about school in Hayes, works “The strength of rugby increase in the number of the quality of work that is closely with Harlequins RL league in schools in Leeds is London schools entering the being undertaken in this area.” and has a club coach that within our service area Powergen Champion Schools He added: “We get very qualified teacher in Dina squads there might be players To urnament. And that only diverse types of schools Pisavadia. Girls’ and boys’ 14 PE & Sport Today • Spring 2006 year’s Powergen Champion communication skills and, Rugby League Key Messages Schools Tournament finals most importantly, develop there are high hopes for more discipline. You are also ● Powergen is Title Sponsor of the Rugby League success in the 2005/06 learning to act as part of a Powergen Challenge Cup and is Exclusive Energy competition. team, which is an essential Partner to the RFL, Super League and the GB Test Team part of growing up and ● 9 Live Matches were screened on BBC with 1.1 million Better and better maturing for later life. viewers tuning in to watch the 2005 Powergen Chris Thair, the RFL’s North “The Powergen Champion Challenge Cup Final West Regional Development Schools finals give all players a ● The Powergen Champion Schools Tournament is the Manager, says the goal to aim for – the chance largest rugby league tournament in the world competition just gets better of representing your school in ● More than 1,000 schools, 4,000 teams and 72,000 pupils and better: “Schools across a national final is one not to will have taken part in the Powergen Champion Schools the North West region be missed!” To urnament from 2002/3 to 2005/6 traditionally have a long, And in Wales the future of ● More than 1,400 teams and 25,000 participants are proud and successful rugby league certainly looked expected to compete in the 2005/6 Powergen association with Rugby in good shape, judging by the Champion Schools Tournament from secondary schools League.