Jaymc9 wrote:Salford dont do anything for eccles really. Wigan came down and did something with the club. Invited all the youngters and coaches to training sessions and to a match with the full treatment etc. Salford havn't done any of that and there a local team!
I attend the development meetings that Salford regularly hold with amatuer clubs. Eccles didn't attend the last one i did...
Salford now have SLAs with amatuer teams in the area, as signed by Cadishead tonight.
Prestwich Red wrote:At present the main area the club appear to be concentrating on is East and South Manchester. There are development officers in those areas and new teams with juniors have been formed.The remit from the RFL was that Salford should spread the game to Manchester and this is what they are trying to do.
This unfortunately has a detrimental effect on the Core area in Salford.
Our local teams are suffering and the interest in the game is dwindling especially in the schools.
I know of only three in the area who have RL on the school sport curriculum.
We need to get kids interested and playing the game.
This should be at an early age where tag rugby is a good introduction.
Salford should be helping with schools coaching and also holding sessions at local clubs.
If you do not get the kids interested then the sport will become more of a minority pastime and we will never see that next Salford Born England playing scrum half.
As said, Salford now have SLAs with amatuer teams - this guarantees a level of service from the club over the course of a season to help the amatuer team develop (e.g. see tonights programme and feature on cadishead).
To quash a common misconception...Salford put more effort into Salford than the other development areas. Meet the team, and you realise how many are active in Salford and that the 'manchester' or 'trafford' officer is just one person in each case (with funding obtained from outside of the clubs direct budget). The club does work in a lot of schools...what is lacking, and i'm sure amatuer clubs in salford would agree...is volunteers at amatuer clubs to help be the 'destination' after salford's work. salford rlfc cannot "be" a replacement for amatuer teams and their work and it's the joining up which needs work.
My suggestion to any fan wanting to see the development of the game, and if you want to make a difference, is ring langworthy reds, or folly, or eccles, or any one of the ten clubs listed in each programme with numbers (including my side - Bury Broncos) and offer your services...Salford are investing, but it needs a well (volunteer) resourced amatuer base too.
