Mark Dunning and Amanda Wilkinson, who have already secured invites to Rugby League’s annual Awards Night after their success this season with Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow Raiders Ladies respectively, are among four coaches who have achieved Level 4 status as part of the RFL’s Coach Programme.
They are joined by Danny Barton, a key member of Paul Rowley’s coaching team at Salford Red Devils working with their Academy and Reserve teams, and Chris Spurr, the RFL’s Community Coach Development Manager who is also the Castleford Tigers Academy head coach.
And Richard Tunningley, the RFL’s Coach Education Manager, has also highlighted the progress of two current players, Leroy Cudjoe and Adam Sidlow, who have completed their Level 3 qualification as part of the RFL’s Player to Coach programme.
“Developing coaches is a vital part of the work of the RFL, and we are delighted to have supported some outstanding people in securing these qualifications,” Tunningley said.
“The strategy for Women’s and Girls’ Rugby League needs more women who are qualified to coach at the highest level. Amanda Wilkinson has an excellent pedigree in the sport and the success of Barrow Raiders Ladies in earning promotion to the Betfred Women’s Super League and then competing so strongly in their debut season is further evidence of her potential.
“I’m delighted that she is among the nominees for the BWSL’s Coach of the Year award, giving her a second reason to celebrate alongside her Level 4 qualification.
“It’s similar for Mark Dunning, who has been recognised by his peers for the excellent job he has done at Midlands Hurricanes in Betfred League One this season – after making a bold decision to move away from his roots in Yorkshire.
“Danny Barton has been an unsung hero at Salford Red Devils for some time, and it’s a similar story with Chris Spurr both at Castleford Tigers and at the RFL, where he is a major influence on so many other coaches in the community game.
“To have four more coaches with their Level 4 qualification will have a hugely positive impact on so many players – and it’s great to see two such respected players as Leroy Cudjoe and Adam Sidlow making huge strides towards careers of their own in coaching when they do hang up their boots.
“Leroy had a taste of representative coaching this year when he was invited to join the Yorkshire set-up for the Academy Origin series, and Adam who has been assisting with the Salford Reserves or (on Salfords Development Pathway - although they both remain very capable of playing at the highest level, as Leroy has shown all year with Huddersfield, and Adam reminded us with his leadership of a young Salford team at Wigan in the last round of the Super League season.”
For any women wanting to follow in the footsteps of Amanda Wilkinson, the RFL are running a first-ever Female Coaching Conference at Boundary Park in Oldham on Saturday 19 October – this will be held before the Women’s Origin match – further details here.
There will also be two Level 2 Coaching Courses exclusively for women in the New Year, at Leeds and Leigh Miners Rangers, both on Saturday January 18. Further details here.
