Nicola will lead the continued development, management and growth of the girls rugby pathway at the club, with a key focus on expanding participation, improving opportunities for players and creating a sustainable structure that supports girls progressing into adult rugby.

Having already done fantastic work over the last few seasons coaching and helping establish our current Under 12 and Under 14 Girls teams, Nicola’s passion, commitment and experience will help strengthen foundations for the future of the female game at Mayfield Park.

Speaking about her new role, Nicola said:

"I’m very proud to be taking on this role and I’m excited to continue helping grow girls rugby here.

"The hard work that's been put in to establishing women's and girls rugby at the club over the last five years has been amazing and there’s a fantastic group of players, coaches and volunteers involved. I’m looking forward to building on that and helping create a strong future for the female game.

"A big priority for us over the next few months is recruitment, especially for our Under 18 Girls team ahead of next season. We want to make sure we have a clear and sustainable pathway for girls to progress all the way from minis rugby through to our Ladies team.

"For me, it’s about creating an environment where girls enjoy coming to rugby, improve as players, make lifelong friendships and develop a real love for the game. We want to create lasting memories for them, and as part of that we’re hoping to organise an end-of-season tour for the girls.

“We can’t wait to welcome all the girls back this month for some fun activities before we start preparing for another exciting season."

Director of Rugby, Liam Lester added:

“As a club, it's important for us to create opportunities not just for players, but also for coaches and volunteers to progress into leadership roles.

“Nicola has done a fantastic job helping develop our Under 12 and Under 14 Girls teams over the last few seasons and has built up valuable experience. Her enthusiasm, commitment and passion for girls rugby are obvious to anyone who has worked with her, and we’re excited to see what she can bring to this new role.

“This year marks five years since we established our girls rugby programme at the club, which is a huge milestone for everyone involved. That progress simply wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment and hard work of our coaches, players and volunteers.

“In particular, Gemma Fox deserves enormous credit for the leadership, vision and dedication she has shown in helping build girls rugby at Mayfield Park into what it is today. While work commitments have meant she couldn't dedicate the same amount of time to the role, we’re incredibly grateful for everything she has done and delighted that she will continue to play an important role in supporting our Ladies team going forward."

Want to Get Involved in Girls Rugby?

Whether you’re completely new to rugby or already play the game, we’d love to hear from you.

To find out more about Girls Rugby at Hartlepool Rugby Club and how to get involved, please register your interest here or email: hartlepoolrugbyclub@outlook.com