Why would some clubs be operating differently? They would have to do it in top secret, and they would have nobody to play!



Alternatively, you're thinking of Service Area, which is something very different from scholarship.

But that's not what the embedded pathway is about, it's about a clear pathway within the game at any age and at any point in the development of players, not "eliminating" them at 13 years old.

The system is changing and changing for the better IMO, I still has a long way to go, however, whilst we have an RFL running the game at tiers 1&2 and independent leagues and bodies governing the community game, we will have a fragmented system that is not fit for purpose.

There isn't a shortage of talent, there is a shortage of "correct" resource to develop that talent, there has been a big jump in participation numbers From u7-U10's since the introduction of the "sky try" programe with some fantastic success at certain clubs ((SL mainly) who have been targeted to develop these age groups or loose central funding.

It's not all doom and gloom, but it doesn't help when a club decides to scrap its academy and suddenly makes a plan to work with another club which in reality isn't in line with the RFL mandate.

Quote ="Grimmy"I agree with this. I often wonder how many big lads have their talents wasted because they are automatically put at prop and told to stick hold of the ball and drive it in every time they get it, regardless of whether they can pass, kick, step, run fast, dive in at the corner etc. You also see a lot of lads who develop early wasted in their age group too because the coach would rather keep them in the team and stroll through the opposition every week than play him an age up where he will have more of a ">challenge.'" When I did my Level 2 and my Embed the Pathway course they put a reasonable amount of emphasis on the difference between ability and maturity, and also first/fourth quartile babies which maybe helped a bit with counteracting this. There's a lot of support behind leagues being split by weight rather than age in Australia/NZ and I'd be curious to see the same over here. I remember reading a report that found those kids who were bigger at age 14-16 were less likely to make it as Super League players, presumably because they hadn't had to develop their skills as much as they were able to rely on being bigger than everyone.

Quote ="Grimmy"I agree with this. I often wonder how many big lads have their talents wasted because they are automatically put at prop and told to stick hold of the ball and drive it in every time they get it, regardless of whether they can pass, kick, step, run fast, dive in at the corner etc. You also see a lot of lads who develop early wasted in their age group too because the coach would rather keep them in the team and stroll through the opposition every week than play him an age up where he will have more of a ">challenge.'" When I did my Level 2 and my Embed the Pathway course they put a reasonable amount of emphasis on the difference between ability and maturity, and also first/fourth quartile babies which maybe helped a bit with counteracting this. There's a lot of support behind leagues being split by weight rather than age in Australia/NZ and I'd be curious to see the same over here. I remember reading a report that found those kids who were bigger at age 14-16 were less likely to make it as Super League players, presumably because they hadn't had to develop their skills as much as they were able to rely on being bigger than everyone.

Quote ="Him"This is the point GUBRATS was deliberately ignoring because he knows it's the answer. Sadly, because improving the amateur game is a long term, ongoing issue rather than a one-off quick fix, clubs aren't really interested in doing anything other than paying lip service to it. I'd be all for the joint academies if it was a temporary measure for say 10 years whilst the clubs involved improved the quality and participation in the amateur game in their area. But we all know they're not going to do ">that.'" Why would this temporary measure be necessary? I really can't take the idea that we are so efficient that we have absolutely exhausted the player pool seriously.

Quote ="Him"This is the point GUBRATS was deliberately ignoring because he knows it's the answer. Sadly, because improving the amateur game is a long term, ongoing issue rather than a one-off quick fix, clubs aren't really interested in doing anything other than paying lip service to it. I'd be all for the joint academies if it was a temporary measure for say 10 years whilst the clubs involved improved the quality and participation in the amateur game in their area. But we all know they're not going to do ">that.'" Why would this temporary measure be necessary? I really can't take the idea that we are so efficient that we have absolutely exhausted the player pool seriously.

Quote ="Saint #1"When I did my Level 2 and my Embed the Pathway course they put a reasonable amount of emphasis on the difference between ability and maturity, and also first/fourth quartile babies which maybe helped a bit with counteracting this. There's a lot of support behind leagues being split by weight rather than age in Australia/NZ and I'd be curious to see the same over here. I remember reading a report that found those kids who were bigger at age 14-16 were less likely to make it as Super League players, presumably because they hadn't had to develop their skills as much as they were able to rely on being bigger than ">everyone.'" Absolutely. But sadly not every coach does the Embed the Pathway course and fewer actually embrace the ethos of it properly, and even fewer are at clubs where they would be helped to do so, and yet fewer clubs are in league structures that help them to do so. You're right on the stats about the young players and I know Leeds have been actively searching for quartile 4 players for this reason. The Embed the Pathway scheme has given me a glimmer of hope because at least I know that the RFL recognise the issues. It just depends on how willing they are to confront the amateur leagues and force them to change. Right now they're sort of preaching to the converted, although that's not necessarily a bad thing to begin with. The other side of the coin that is almost always missed by those who insist the amateur leagues are fine, is that the amateur setup has 2 purposes, not just 1. Yes they have to develop talent to push up the hierarchy, but their other equally important purpose is as a gateway to the sport for present/future supporters and sponsors. In this regard the amateur setup cannot be described as anything but a failure with only bright spots of mediocrity.

Quote ="Saint #1"When I did my Level 2 and my Embed the Pathway course they put a reasonable amount of emphasis on the difference between ability and maturity, and also first/fourth quartile babies which maybe helped a bit with counteracting this. There's a lot of support behind leagues being split by weight rather than age in Australia/NZ and I'd be curious to see the same over here. I remember reading a report that found those kids who were bigger at age 14-16 were less likely to make it as Super League players, presumably because they hadn't had to develop their skills as much as they were able to rely on being bigger than ">everyone.'" Absolutely. But sadly not every coach does the Embed the Pathway course and fewer actually embrace the ethos of it properly, and even fewer are at clubs where they would be helped to do so, and yet fewer clubs are in league structures that help them to do so. You're right on the stats about the young players and I know Leeds have been actively searching for quartile 4 players for this reason. The Embed the Pathway scheme has given me a glimmer of hope because at least I know that the RFL recognise the issues. It just depends on how willing they are to confront the amateur leagues and force them to change. Right now they're sort of preaching to the converted, although that's not necessarily a bad thing to begin with. The other side of the coin that is almost always missed by those who insist the amateur leagues are fine, is that the amateur setup has 2 purposes, not just 1. Yes they have to develop talent to push up the hierarchy, but their other equally important purpose is as a gateway to the sport for present/future supporters and sponsors. In this regard the amateur setup cannot be described as anything but a failure with only bright spots of mediocrity.

18 months ago, youth was the focus www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/">www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/money-now-spent-youth---9239057">www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ---9239057

18 months ago, youth was the focus www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/">www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/money-now-spent-youth---9239057">www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ---9239057