Castleford Cast Net for New Women’s Team
Surrounded by rugby league women’s teams playing at a high level, Castleford RUFC is determined to start Castleford Ladies, both to give senior playing opportunities for those leaving their U18 girls’ squad and to offer rugby to completely new players.
The standard of their girls’ rugby is evident from those playing for Yorkshire and two former players who have reached the highest level. Abi Burton, now a GB 7s and Wasps player, was at the club for four seasons from U15s to U18s and England and Wasps Ellie Kildunne played at Castleford for a season before moving to Hartpury. Emma Hardy, also a past England Sevens player and now at Loughborough Lightning, is one of a number of former players playing regularly in the Allianz Premier 15s.
Said Steve Ball, Women and Girls’ Rugby Coordinator: “During the pandemic we reassessed a lot of things at the club and decided we had to provide a home for our girls as they leave the U18s. We have a good relationship with Leeds Beckett University and have taken sports students on internships to work with our girls. We now have a physio/sports therapist from the university for the women’s team and we’ve secured a £1,000 grant towards the kit from the Arnold Clark Community Fund.
“We had 20 of our U18 girls training on Easter Monday and have a great social environment at the club. There has been so much isolation for women and young mothers during the pandemic that we know playing rugby and making lifelong friends will make more of a difference than ever. Anyone with a pair of boots is very welcome, it doesn’t matter if they have ever picked up a rugby ball, or whatever level they want to take their sport to.
“We have a team manager, Oliver Arundel, and an assistant coach, Dave Williams, already in place and six or seven former players waiting to train for the first time this month before our Inner Warrior Camp on 22 May. Megan Owens, who was one of the first girls at the club from the age of 8, has returned to us after university and is chairing our steering group. Lauren Hunter, daughter of the club’s former captain from the 1990s, Ricky Hunter, is joining us, having been playing league for WSL's York City Knights.”
Lauren is also an ambassador of #THESMEARCAMPAIGN. With the fledgling team wanting to link to a charity affecting women’s lives, she said: “This was just right for our demographic as we don’t want children to lose their mothers when 99.8% of cervical cancers are preventable and one in three women eligible for a free smear test under the NHS don’t attend. That has to change because women are dying every day from cervical cancer.”
Megan added: “When we were discussing a charitable cause that the team should support there was unanimous backing for #THESMEARCAMPAIGN. Rather than putting the screening invitation letter to one side you’ve got to realise that a five minute procedure can save your life. We want to raise awareness and funds.”
#THESMEARCAMPAIGN is organised by Chris Hopkins whose former partner died from cervical cancer and said: “Cervical cancer has impacted mine and my son's life and I don't want any other children to go through what my son is going through. It’s great that Castleford RUFC Ladies have joined our campaign as the bigger we get, the bigger the impact we will have. We started the campaign to raise money to form a charity and thankfully we are well into the process with the Charity Commission. We will be creating a fund to support those impacted by cervical cancer and to start Marie's Wish, helping women who have been given the worst news, to have that last wish come true.”
#THESMEARCAMPAIGN information can be found on their Facebook page. They also have a Go Fund me page.
For more information about Castleford RUFC Girls and Ladies please contact Steve Ball on at stephenball85@live.com. Or check out their Facebook page.
