Young rugby hopefuls across the West Midlands will be able to start shaping their sports careers when Worcester Warriors Academy and Worcester Sixth Form College hold an open evening to recruit students to their jointly-run Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence.
Under the course, Academy coaches will identify rising talent with the potential to make professional rugby a career, and develop their skills at Sixways, while the college will provide them with the facilities to study their chosen vocational or academic course.
The RFU-sanctioned partnership will be one of just eight across the country.
The initiative will be launched officially at the open event on Thursday, January 25, 2007, heralding the start of a search for youngsters to win places on the two-year course next summer.
Prospective students will be able to learn more on the night, while youngsters identified by Sixways experts as having the potential to join the elite development programme will have a chance to tour the facilities at a later date.
“It’s a huge opportunity for talented players and reflects the outstanding success of the Warriors and the commitment of the college to integrate study and qualifications with sporting excellence,” says Principal John Tredwell.
Academy manager Andrew Stanley is delighted that the course will give Warriors the opportunity to work with players at an earlier age, while they’re enjoying the vital benefits of a quality education at the Sixth Form College.
“Students on the pilot course have begun working at the ground this week,” says Andrew, who will give a presentation in Room G19 after Mr Tredwell has given a general talk about the college. “It gives us another route to attracting the best rugby talent in the West Midlands to Worcester Warriors.”
The open evening starts at 5.30pm and runs until 8.30pm. Parking is expected to be in demand.