1. POST 16 PATHWAYS Dave Rotheram National Player Development Manager

2. INTENTIONS FOR TODAY • Put in context where you are at currently • The Club Academy and England International programme in Rugby League • Outline the AASE programme • Next steps..

3. TALENT DEVELOPMENT • Increase the quality of players that progress to the full England squad. • Increase the quality of player supply to Super League and Championship clubs. • Increase number of and quality players with access to a quality talent development system.

5. ACADEMIES • Professional Sport in the UK use Academies in order to identify and develop talented athletes to be able to compete to a “world class standard” (RFU), “produce football excellence” (FA) and provide a “modern Rugby League education” (RFL) • Academies must equip young athletes for the transition between youth and senior sport

6. ADVANTAGES OF THE ACADEMY SYSTEM • Players identify more with the local community • Show good value for money • Sustains more than one team • Potential “sell on” value

7. PLAYER PATHWAY ELITE TRAINING SQUAD England Academy SUPER LEAGUE England Knights Professional Club Academy U-19 RFL Regional Academy U-18 England Youth Professional Club Academy U-16 RFL Regional Academy U-16

9. ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIP IN SPORTING EXCELLENCE (AASE) • Used by clubs & regions to enhance the delivery of the Academy programme • Players are apprentices, not students • 30 hours per week in a high quality FULL TIME environment • Up to 16 hours per week (recommended) 3 A levels or BTEC

10. WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF AASE? • An increased sporting knowledge and understanding • Better equipped for the demands of being a full time athlete • A level 3 NVQ in ‘Achieving Excellence in Sport’. • This can be advantageous when apply for university especially sporting university’s like Leeds Met, UCLAN, Uni of Glos. • No UCAS points directly associated but qual is looked upon very favourably.

11. AASE PROGRAMMES 2012-13

13. DECLARATION OF INTEREST

14. CONTRATCT OFFER • Must meet minimum contract value (TBC) • Is for 27 months (Sept 2013-Nov 2015)

15. WHAT IS A CONTRACT? • It is a Contract of Employment • A legally binding agreement which describes how the relationship will work within the framework of employment law

16. STANDARD FORMS • Only two types of form (full or part time) • Will be different for each player: • Name & Address • Start and finish dates • Payment details • Additional individual clauses

17. DISCRETION • Clubs/Regions are signing your potential • Individual and club dependent (clubs will have different wage structures and recruitment needs)

18. AGENTS • Must be authorised • Players under the age of 18 can only have a 1 year agreement with an agent with parental consent • www.therfl.co.uk/the-rfl/rules

19. ADVICE TO PARENTS • Speak to people who have been through it • No such thing as a daft question • Meet with club representatives • Use the RFL for impartial advice