Worcester Warriors have today confirmed that Tony Windo will take up a new position as Director of Rugby at Bromsgrove School following the completion of this season. More follows…
Windo, who will officially take up his new role from August 2011, has made a huge impact both on and off the field at Sixways over more than a decade.
The former prop, who also captained the club, played 222 senior games for Worcester during a glittering playing career between 1999 and 2008.
Windo joined the coaching set-up at Sixways in a full-time role in 2008 and most recently worked as Skills Development and Scrum Coach, a position that saw him work closely with all the club’s front row forwards in both the senior and Academy squads.
His new role at Bromsgrove School will see him developing links with local schools and clubs, especially Worcester Warriors, and promote the school as a centre of excellence for youngsters keen to further their skills and participation at all levels of rugby.
The school has a proven track record of producing high quality players such as Andy Goode and Matt Mullan along with current England full back Ben Foden and England Saxons ace George Robson.
Worcester Head Coach Richard Hill said Windo’s appointment will only strengthen links between the school and Warriors where a number of Old Bromsgrovians in Ollie Frost, James Freeman, Mike Penn, Joel Dudley and Louis Padian ply their trade.
“We congratulate Tony on the new role he will take on from this August and we firmly believe his appointment will further enhance strong links between Worcester Warriors and Bromsgrove School,” said Hill.
“I would stress that Tony’s long-term involvement with Warriors will remain and we would still like him to be very much a part of the development of the young front row players in our Academy and form part of specific clinics at the club.”
Windo said: “It was a difficult decision to make after such a long period of time with Warriors, but the opportunity to progress my career at a high level school such as Bromsgrove was too good an opening to turn down. I’m very excited about the opportunity I now have to help Bromsgrove School enhance its already strong rugby reputation.
“This move will enable me to develop even stronger links between Bromsgrove School and the Warriors, a club I still feel passionately about after my career at the club that’s spanned over 12 years.
“I will continue to contribute all my efforts into helping the club strives to not only secure Premiership status but push on after, I’ve also been asked to come back and be part of coaching clinics in the future. That will enable me to continue my link with the club and is something I truly appreciate.
“I’d like to thank Cecil Duckworth, Roger Murray and Charlie Little for their continuing support and agreeing to release me from my current contract to enable me to take up my new position at Bromsgrove School. I’d also like to thank Richard Hill, Phil Davies and all the coaching, playing and commercial staff at the Warriors for their support and congratulations.”
Bromsgrove School’s commitment to the sports is well known and a major development of sports facilities has just started at the School. Among the projects due for completion by summer 2012 is a spectacular new indoor sports arena, one of the largest any UK school has ever constructed, with seating for up to 900 people. The building will accommodate eight badminton courts and will be large enough to host regional and national indoor hockey, basketball and netball events. Interlinked via covered walkways, the existing buildings will be refurbished and redesigned to sit seamlessly next to the new. The new arena will be preceded by a fresh and contemporary hospitality suite overlooking the School’s floodlit netball and hockey courts, it will encompass new dance studios and a viewing area for the redesigned swimming pool.
Paul Mullan, Second Deputy, Co-Curricula at Bromsgrove School said: “Bromsgrove School are very excited by the appointment of Tony Windo as the new Director of Rugby. We are looking to Tony to further enhance the School’s rugby reputation both locally and nationally.”
Bromsgrove School Headmaster Chris Edwards added: “Tony Windo and Paul Mullan are as fine a coaching team as any School in Britain could ask for. I expect Tony’s talent and experience to take Bromsgrove rugby even higher. These are exciting times.”