News

Posted: Friday 6th November 2020

Q&A with Head of Youth Performance

This weekend on Tigers TV there will be a brand new episode of the Tiger Talk Podcast with Darren Higgins discussing all things related to our Youth Department!

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Below is just a taster of just some of the points discussed!

Overall, how has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the Youth Department?

Like everyone I suppose it has been difficult and challenging and it has been something new. Initially, the thought was we would be away for about a month and hopefully get back into it and it would be a case of keeping the lads ticking over with their fitness. As time went on was realisation that it would not be realistic that we would be back playing this year, the Reserves season was announced has being finished for the year, that seems a long time ago now, then in the time that followed it was also announced there would be no Academy rugby either.

So, it has been difficult, but I think the lads have been fantastic in terms of keeping themselves fit, making physical improvements, and getting even fitter. The staff have been incredible – there has been a lot of people involved in keeping the lads engaged at Scholarship and Academy level, whether that be with; physical programmes, nutrition-based development with cooking tasks, speaking or leadership challenges and a lot of player reviews.

I think the coaches have been really good in using this as an opportunity to improve, conduct a lot of research and get together to throw ideas around to put together some player development frameworks and curriculums which will put us in good stead in the years ahead. Whilst challenging I think we have done a fairly good job of making the most of bad circumstances, it is what it is and it’s the same for everyone, but all in all, I think everyone has handled it fairly well.

During October we saw the return of the Tigers Talent Pathway in accordance with Covid-19 protocols and RFL guidance. The TTP is one of the first steps in the Club’s Player Pathway which goes through the youth sides up into the First Team. How would you sum up what the Tigers Talent Pathway is?

The project is aligned to a wider RFL programme, the England Talent Pathway and it is ultimately about providing open access player development opportunities. It’s a different approach to 10 years ago when it was more of a talent selection model rather than development and players missing out on further opportunities as a result of de-selection. That approach was rightfully ripped up and we needed to provide more opportunities for players at a young age and that’s what TTP does.

There are three distinct age groups that we work with and the entry point is the Under 12/13’s and then a specific programme for Under 14’s which is an important year for recruitment into Scholarship. Looking at it as a linear journey it would be for a player to attend at 12, 13 or 14 and then if selected to move into the Scholarship and 15 and 16. This also compliments our talent identification activity with scholarship and academy recruitment in mind.

The Tigers Player Pathway is not as simple though as progressing in a linear youth path is it?

No, it is not that straight forward or linear, some lads don’t get selected and we purposely run the TTP 15’s and 16’s project with that in mind for late specialisation. We have seen some lads who continued to attend and develop with the TTP programme and found their way into the Tigers Scholarship at a later date. Some have gone into the Academy without being in the Scholarship programme and then there is also the added College of Rugby League programme which is available for contracted and non-contracted players, they can receive an education and player development with rugby, athletic or physio provision for example. There are entry points into the system all the way up to Academy and potentially even the Reserves.

It’s a robust pathway and one we are proud of, it takes a lot of work to manage the whole thing but its player-centric and mindful of a young players journey which might not always be straightforward.

There has been great news in the past month with Castleford Tigers announcing 16 new players to the Tigers’ Scholarship programme for 2020/21. How pleased are you to bring these young lads into the Club?

Really pleased to sign the 16 lads we have because this year it has been harder than ever with talent identification and recruitment with no games for the last six months. I think we have a very good talent ID system in place which is headed up by Steve Armitage and numerous scouts who get out and about to watch games. With how much hard work went in prior to lockdown is reflected in our recruitment, we always prefer to be local, we want local lads from Cas and the surrounding areas, but we do look across the region.

50% of the players we have signed are from the local area, four are from Hull area and we have players from across West Yorkshire going out to Halifax. A good number of these young men have turned down offers from other clubs, in some instances hometown clubs they have turned down, that is a terrific reflection on the work that Steve and the rest of our talent ID team have done.

How does the Pathway work without a Reserve Grade?

We run the programme to ultimately produce players and the Academy level is more of a competition in the sense of playing games more frequently whereas Scholarship is about player development in its purest form but the Academy is a bit of hybrid of development and competition and the next logical step. For me regardless of what happens at the youth age groups, I think the system is flawed without Reserves of which we made a start of it this season but it has been scrapped for Covid reasons and will not feature in 2021. But I think it is echoed across the game that we must have Reserves going forward whether that is in 2022, it is such a big jump from Academy to progress to the First Team. Reserves are fundamental to players in terms of that last hurdle.

There have been Tigers who have taken the steps from Academy into the First Team and playing Super League though such as Jacques O’Neill, is he a good example of working his way through the system at Castleford?

He has been exceptional and really impressive, especially after lockdown and adjusting to the rule changes. He is looking a very, very good player at this moment in time and I am sure he will kick on to have a great career. Jacques is a terrific example of playing a handful of games in his first year at first-team level and then kicking on further this year.

Lewis Peachey is another who made his debut last year around 17/18, but his journey is very different as he came from a non-traditional area playing union and did not play league until we had signed him as a scholar. To do what he has done in that time is unbelievable, it goes to show everyone’s path will be different and that Reserve level between Academy and First Team is essential.

If you look at the backbone of the squad at the minute, there are a lot of lads who ten years back had come through the system and I think it’s going to become more and more important again due to Covid.

Keep an eye out for the full Tiger Talk Podcast with Darren Higgins, on Tigers TV later this weekend!