LEICESTER STORM RLC

Forty Rugby League players in the Midlands took their first steps towards becoming professionals this week with the start of the Midlands scholarships.
The scholarships will run at Under 15s and Under 16s age groups and the players will attend two training sessions per week, improving their all-round capabilities as Rugby League players ahead of testing games against the country's other Scholarships played in Spring and Summer of 2012.

Leicester Storm in their first ever year running juniors led the way with an impressive six players being offered Midlands Scholarships.

Martyn Rothwell, the Regional Talent & Coaching Manager who is leading on the delivery of the scheme in the region said: "The launch of the scholarship is very exciting for everyone in the Midlands.
"The immediate benefits are for those players, but in turn this raises the standards of playing within the clubs. In addition, the coaches on the scholarship programme will also take their increased abilities back to their clubs, which improves the environments back at club level."

Martyn was also keen to point out that the scholarship is not a closed shop, with twenty players currently registered at each age group there are a further four places per age group open for players to stake a claim to in the coming months.
He said: "We will be looking very closely at players in the coming months to ensure that the places are filled. Some players will be offered a trial and we will fill the spots with those who stand out."
The Midlands scholarship is underpinned by the Regional Player Development Centre which continues to run for players in the Under 14s age group, whilst a Service Area Player Development Centre programme will also be introduced during 2012 for players at Under 13s and Under 14s.

David Butler, the RFL's Midlands Regional Manager said: "We are delighted with the progress that some of the region's players have made in recent years.
"There are now players who have played in the Midlands at all levels of the professional game, however for some of the younger players they have been unable to follow their dreams because of constraints such as travel times and costs.
"Now those constraints have been reduced by the scholarship being much closer to home, professional clubs will still be able to monitor high performing players in the same environment that they do their own scholarship players, which should ensure that young players in the Midlands have the same opportunities as those everywhere else in the country."
Under 15s scholarship players

Ricky Bailey (Telford Raiders)
Joe Richards (Telford Raiders)
Oliver Wakeling (Leicester Storm)
Kyle McKenzie (Derby City)
James Moore (Derby City)
Tomos Edwards (Telford Raiders)
Lewis Chapman (Leicester Storm)
Joe Zaric (Birmingham Bulldogs)
Josh Rhodes (Telford Raiders)
Eric Robinson (Derby City)
Charlie O'Mara (Derby City)
Harry Chapman (North Derbyshire Chargers)
Andy Prempah (Telford Raiders)
Toby Williams (Derby City)
Harry Stephenson (North Derbyshire Chargers)
Charles Robinson (NEW Ravens)
Ben Archer (Derby City)
Akshaye Vig (Leicester Storm)
Elliot Norman (Coventry Bears)
Sam Crooks (NEW Ravens)


Under 16 scholarship players

Lewis Pryce (Northampton Knights)
William Heath (Nottingham Outlaws)
Elliott Joseph Holton (Northampton Knights)
Ed Wainman (Derby City)
Dylan Lewis Bale (Leicester Storm)
Jason Bass (Leicester Storm)
Joe James (Coventry Bears)
Aiden Lawrence (Northampton Knights)
Eric Giliver (Derby City)
Oli Vickers (Telford Raiders)
Ben Pointer (Northampton Knights)
George Carlton (Coventry Bears)
Lawrence Ward (Northampton Knights)
Marcus Stock (Northampton Knights)
Jack Harris (Telford Raiders)
Luke Roberts (Telford Raiders)
Shaun Bent (Birmingham Bulldogs)
Andrew Castledine (North Derbyshire Chargers)
Ben Gray (Leicester Storm)
Jak Walbancke (Derby City)

Scholarship Coaches:
Martyn Rothwell, Darren Higgins, Huw Goodwin, James Carter, Grant Hunter, Mark Harrison