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Cougars
dispel reserve myths
WHETHER
or not clubs should have to run reserve teams remains a hot topic for some in
rugby league.
And despite claims of the cost being
prohibitive, Keighley chairman Gary Fawcett said they can be run for
virtually nothing, and should be made mandatory across the professional game.
The Cougars have
remained steadfastly dedicated to developing their own players by running a
second tier side, while most around them have stopped.
Fawcett concedes that the current
situation does not make it easy at times, but maintains a positive outlook on
each issue that arises.
“We have to go and
play Super League reserve teams, but while we might get the odd hammering, I’ve
always told the lads to look upon that as a learning experience,” he
explained.
“We’ve had some
really decent games against Halifax and played them midweek last week.
“Sometimes there is
travelling involved such as taking on South Wales, but then we look for
sponsors to help out, or we use the club minibuses, which most clubs will have.
“The community
tends to muck in quite nicely to help the reserves.
“We don’t find it
difficult - we find it beneficial.
“Virtually all the
back room staff are volunteers who do it for the love of the sport, so it
doesn’t really cost us any money.”
So to the all-important finances - the
most common reason heard elsewhere for not running a second team. Fawcett
describes that stance as “lazy”.
“I would say it’s
almost cost neutral to run our reserves,” he said.
“We receive income
from the games themselves, and we’re clever about getting sponsorship to fund
the things that the reserve team needs.
“For off-field kit
every reserve player has got a sponsor, and the on-field kit is fully
sponsored.
“We also don’t make
any payments to players.
“What we say to
them is that this is an opportunity to get into the first team, where you do
get paid.
“They have the
chance to use the facilities and coaches in a professional set-up.
“So the cost is
already low and is offset by the income from sponsorship and gate money.
“We gradually
changed the model to make it break even.
“I think people
using cost as an excuse for not running a reserve team are lazy.”
Keighley have 12 members of their
current first team squad that have come through their own system, including
three graduates from the reserves this season alone.
Fawcett would now like to see other
clubs at all levels follow the Cougars’ lead.
“We remain
committed to it, and we’re hopeful that other clubs are too.
“There has been a
little bit of discussion around some clubs wanting to re-enter but I’ll wait
and see what happens.
“I don’t understand
why clubs wouldn’t want to run a reserves team.
“It allows you to
get first teamers back to fitness and enables you to develop young players in
the way that your club plays.
“I was astounded
when it got taken away as a mandatory requirement.”
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