sheffield hillsborough hawks arlfc      

SHEFFIELD HILLSBOROUGH HAWKS WOMEN’S OPEN AGE
Women’s Rugby League Association Development League
For further information about the women’s rugby league set up please contact :

hawkswomen@hotmail.co.uk
 

Training is on Monday & Friday evenings between 6 and 8 pm at Hillsborough Arena. (tel: 0114 2335310)
ALL HOME MATCHES PLAYED @ HILLSBOROUGH ARENA: KICK-OFF: 12.30 PM UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE
 

SHEFFIELD'S WOMEN OF STEEL…….Rugby League played with a smile!

Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks Ladies amateur rugby league team was formed in 1989, and have been an ever present in the League competition since then. The team play their home games at Hillsborough Arena and use the facilities for training sessions. They are very much part of the Hillsborough Arena Sports Association and are actively committed to promoting and developing women’s and girls Rugby League in the Sheffield area.
Women’s and Girls rugby league is made up of teams from across the North of England and compete in a regular competition. The Women’s Rugby League Association (WRLA) runs the women’s game. The first Women’s Rugby Clubs formed a league in 1985/86. Currently there are 20 teams playing in three leagues: Premier Division, First Division and a Development League. Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks are in the First Division along with the following teams: Barrow, Ince Rosebridge, Pendle, Thornhill, Warrington and York. The League season runs from September to March with several cup competitions along the way. This season (2004-2005) began on September 12th with Sheffield getting off to a flying start. Two good wins over Thornhill and Pendle saw us leading the division. Recently we have had some tough and close encounters, a league game away at Barrow and with Keighley Albion, a Premier Division side, in the first round of the Challenge Cup.
The open age team currently has 16 players registered to play for the club. We currently have a very good mix of players with different levels of experience. All our players come from varying backgrounds – students, teachers, managers, post-workers, designers, social workers. Players come to play for Sheffield from all over the South Yorkshire region, and the team has two local Sheffield school girls (Fran Small and Mary Rodgers) in the squad. Their story follows after this.........

Whilst the team plays primarily for enjoyment, players who have ambitions to play for the representative sides will be actively encouraged and supported. A number of our players have gone on to gain representative honours with Yorkshire and Great Britain. The side benefits from having several Rugby Football League Club Coach qualified coaches - the Open Age side coached by Vicky Brooks, Stacey Roulson and Jenny Johnstone with Hannah Whales coaching and preparing the U16’s (aged 15 or under) for the Open Age side. Two players who have been training with Hannah, Mary Rodgers and Fran Small, recently made their long awaited and very successful debuts in the Open Age side.

Training, for the Open Age side, takes place every Wednesday and Friday evening, 6.15pm – 8pm and for U16’s every Friday from 5-6pm, at Hillsborough Arena. Home and Away games are played every Sunday with a kick off time of 12.30pm. The team is always on the look out for new players and additions to the team. We will welcome any women or girls who would like to give Rugby League a go or who want some motivation in improving fitness levels. Training sessions are good fun and enjoyable and include fitness as well as rugby skills training. Improving fitness levels and rugby skills are just two of the benefits. Sheffield HH have an active social side with two social secretaries taking on the important role of organising various events.


So if you would like to join the team or if having read this you would like to sponsor the team then please contact Tracey Haycox, Team Manager on 07768362412, for details of how YOU can become involved.





FRAN SMALL AND MARY RODGERS TELL THEIR STORY

We did a 6 week course of rugby at school in PE when we were just starting Y8 (aged 13) with Mr McManus from All Saints School, Granville Road, Sheffield. He then chose us with some other girls to go to a Yorkshire area Youth Camp where we were coached for the weekend and played in a tournament.
Then we, (the South Yorkshire team) were invited to train at Hillsborough with Gavin Brown (Sheffield Eagles halfback and Schools Development Officer) and Richard Goddard (Sheffield Eagles loose-forward/halfback and Schools Development Officer). We continued until about April the following year, when they passed the few remaining people over to Tabitha Mills and Hannah (Whales) from the women's team. Meanwhile we had started Y9 and were playing and training with the boys team at school with a teacher called Mr Ridgeway.This summer we started attending the women's training sessions as well as girl's and eventually, when we finally turned 16, we started playing for the women's team. The first match was away at Barrow -in - Furness Before the Barrow match we both felt very nervous and we couldn't sit still on the way there. But we also felt really excited and couldn't wait to play. It seemed as though we'd trained for two years all for that moment because we'd never really played in a full match before. The match was really good even though we lost and the other team were quite imaginative with the rules. At the end we were both so pleased because it was like everything had come together and we could finally play rugby! It was definitely worth the wait!
We still feel nervous before matches but we know what to expect now so it isn't as bad. Also, we feel more involved now as we've tried different positions and found what we are suited to (Fran's been scrum half and I've played second row). Now we just look forward to the weekends so we can play rugby! We were extremely disappointed when last week's match got cancelled because of snow but there will be plenty more.I would say to anyone who wants to play rugby that they should just enjoy it as much as they can and try to get the most out of it. Also - especially for girls - if it seems as though you aren't getting anywhere and you can't find a team, or there aren't enough of you to play matches then don't give up. You will find somewhere eventually. Anyone is welcome to come to training at Hillsborough and beginners will be warmly welcomed.