An integrated and collaborative approach to developing male and female players across Yorkshire
Yorkshire Rugby Academy (YRA) and Centre of Excellence (CofE) are in an unique situation where they
do not align directly to a Premiership or Premiership 15s club. This provides opportunities for a fully integrated development pathway aligned to the national team themes whilst still managing to retain a strong regional identity.
Through a centrally agreed player development programme a number of outcomes can be achieved with an integrated multi-pathway model.
- Developing players for the professional game (Elite)
- Giving players representative playing opportunities (Aspirational)
- Retaining players in the game
- Improving players ability and understanding at all levels
All the above can be achieved with the multi-pathway, integrated model whilst keeping a wide development player base, creating optimal challenges for high achieving players, allowing progression opportunities for later developing players, and creating opportunities to bridge times of traditionally high number player drop out to support player retention into senior rugby, and to support players for areas of life outside of rugby.
Using the Developing Player Programmes (DPPs) as the wide base from which to identify and select players for Academy and Centre of Excellence development opportunities, there are a number of options for players and also a number of crossover points for sharing of information and
cooperative and collaborative working
More details of each pathway are outlined in the attached document
