Connacht Rugby has teamed up with Yeats College of Galway to develop an ‘Elite Rugby Scholars Programme’. The partnership will provide an opportunity for young rugby players to play age-grade rugby with Connacht whilst remaining focused on their studies for the Leaving Certificate.
The first of its kind in this country, the model is being well used elsewhere with Celtic FC in particular placing great emphasis on education as part of their overall development programme.
“We have a relationship with our local school in Glasgow where the players are brought to school early in the morning, have breakfast and a light training session supervised by the club and then a full day of education before training in the evening,” said Jim McGuinness of Donegal and Celtic speaking to Sport for Business in Dublin yesterday.
“It is so important to develop the lads as individuals not just as players and we see each one of those who come to us as a separate project with individual nuances and demands in order to get the best from them in football and give them the best in return.”
As part of the Connacht scholarship, students will embark on a one or two year Leaving Cert programme, which will have a unique individualised timetable, allowing the student to achieve agreed sporting, academic and fitness milestones.
Each day, students will be able to attend class while maintaining their obligations with the Connacht Rugby Sub-Academy system.
With student housing included, the development rugby players will be based in Galway City centre – studying at the private co-educational Yeats College and developing their rugby skills at the Sportsground.
Connacht Rugby’s Coaching Development Manager Eamonn Molloy drove the initiative and said:
“We recognise the need for players to have a balanced lifestyle and we strive to develop individuals who will be successful both in their rugby careers and beyond,” said Connacht Coaching Development Manager Eamonn Molloy.
“In many respects, the modern worlds of Professional Rugby and motivated education are very similar,” added Yeats College Principal Terry Fahy. “They embrace a shared culture of empowering people through work ethic and self-belief in the pursuit of excellence.“
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