Worcester Warriors are delighted to announce the appointment of Tom Ryder as Community Manager at Sixways Stadium.
Tom will head up a strong Community team that has developed strong links with primary and secondary schools, junior rugby clubs and other community groups across Worcestershire. The Warriors Community department was established in 2004 and last year delivered quality coaching to over 5,000 children in 84 schools throughout the county.
The 24-year-old moves to Warriors from Doncaster Knights where he established the highly successful ‘Doncaster Inclusive Rugby Education and Community Trust’ (DIRECT). The charity ran a range of programmes on grassroots sport, healthy lifestyles, club development, education and stronger communities.
Tom, who studied an MSc in Sports Development at Sheffield Hallam University, also brings with him a wealth of coaching experience. He is a qualified Level 3 RFU coach, an RFU & SAQ Instructor and has a variety of qualifications from Sports Coach UK. He has used these qualifications to coach the Yorkshire Under-16s as well as being involved in the Elite Player Development Programme at Leeds Tykes.
Tom said: “It’s a new challenge for me to work at the top level of rugby at a club which matches my ambition and passion for the development of rugby at all levels.
“The club embraces the community work and the role that rugby can play in developing a whole range of areas and activities. I have been impressed by the work the community team has done in recent years and now I plan to take that even further with wonderful opportunities such as the PfS Study Centre at Sixways.
“I’m also looking forward to meeting local partners from sport, the local authority and local businesses in the near future to develop the community programme further.”