Leeds Rugby Foundation Line Manager

Lucy is the Manager of the Foundation. She joined the team in November 2011 having spent over 5 years in the charity sector working for the NSPCC, ChildLine and Leeds Mencap.

Her remit is to drive the Foundation forward by building on the fantastic work already being done in the community and to inspire more people to become involved with the charity.

Lucy has always been a rugby fan and whilst studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge University she took to the field playing rugby sevens. Since then her interest in the game has grown and she is incredibly passionate about the positive difference sport can make to people's lives.

Email: lucy.young@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rhinos Community Manager

Jonny has been part of the Leeds Rugby Foundation since it began. Along with Adam Blades Jonny is the longest serving member of the Leeds Rugby Foundation. Jonny joined the club in 2000 as a player and was part of the clubs academy structure after signing from his amateur club Milford Marlins. Jonny's biggest achievement as a player at the club was when he was awarded the Academy Player of the Season in 2003.

Jonny has since left the club as a player but went on to play for Keighley Cougars and Hunslet Hawks. He also had loan spells at York Knights and Gateshead Thunder. As the door was closed on a playing career for Jonny another door opened and Jonny became a Development Officer for the Leeds Rhinos in 2004. During his time at the club Jonny has introduced and developed programs in Primary Schools, High Schools and Colleges with in Leeds.

Jonny now overlooks a number of projects within the Leeds Rugby Foundation from the work we do in Schools, Colleges, Amateur Clubs and Camps.

The experience Jonny has gained from is playing career and community work, has earned him a position in the Leeds Rhinos Performance Department as an Academy Coach.

Email: jonny.wainhouse@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Carnegie Community Manager

Adam has worked for Leeds Carnegie since 2004 after completing a degree in Physical Education at Leeds Metropolitan University. Adam is currently fulfilling the role of Leeds Carnegie Community Manager. Adam's main role is to manage and oversee the Leeds Carnegie community department. Within this role Adam spends the majority of this time coaching in primary schools, secondary schools and rugby clubs throughout Yorkshire.

Some of Adams work includes the delivery of the MBNA tackling numbers programme which involves coaching rugby in primary schools along with delivering rugby themed numeracy programme. Adam is also responsible for delivering 'Here come the girls' coaching programme which will see girls from year 7 and 8 across Leeds take part in the newly formed programme. Also delivering rugby coaching within private schools is another of Adam's roles.

On match days Adam can be found running pre-match festivals and overseeing half-time match day activity on the Leeds Carnegie Pitch. Out of school time Adam oversees the running of the successful Leeds Carnegie rugby Camp programme which sees 2-5 day rugby courses being delivered throughout the county of Yorkshire.

Adam is a keen rugby player and plays National League rugby at Otley RUFC where he is the 1st XV captain.

Email: adam.blades@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rhinos Women & Girls Development Officer

Sian joined the Leeds Rhinos Community team in January 2010 and is responsible for developing opportunities for women and girls in Rugby League throughout Leeds. Through a partnership with Leeds City Council and many other key partners the female game has continued to grow in amateur clubs and most noticeably in secondary schools.

Sian has a degree in Sports Development and Education from Leeds Metropolitan University. Sian is also studying for a Masters in Sport. Sian is a keen sports woman and has played Rugby Union since the age of 9, representing the South West and was also part of the England Junior Development side. Upon moving to Leeds to begin University in 2005 Sian took up Rugby League and went onto captain England Student RL for two years. Sian has also played hockey and netball at county level.

Email: sian.hills@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rhinos Amateur Clubs Development Officer

Sam joined the Rhinos community team as the amateur clubs link in November 2007 after working in construction for thirty years. Sam has always been a fan of the Rhinos and worked as a volunteer for seven years previously working on the Leeds Rhinos Scholarship Scheme and Sixteen`s Foundation Squad. A Service Area coach from the conception of the programme and an Amateur club coach for many years.

Sam's main responsibility is linking Leeds Rhinos with the amateur rugby clubs throughout Leeds. Since joining the team Sam has developed an education programme for the community clubs Which is recognized by the RFL. Sam has also created a number of other projects such as the Winter and summer Touch Rugby for 16 plus age groups, indoor junior Touch Rugby, Children`s Day and other projects including an annual celebration dinner bringing together all avenues of rugby league; professional, amateur and service area. Sam is now responsible for the Leeds Rhinos Club Ambassador programme, a scheme to develop closer links with Leeds Rhinos and the amateur clubs of Leeds and the surrounding areas.

Sam has completed a teaching qualification recently, which can only contribute and give more depth to the work he carries out. He also now is a coach educator for the RFL.

Sam has always been involved with rugby at both professional and amateur level and is still playing in an over 35's Masters League.

Email: sam.horner@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Connecting Communities Development Officer

Starr has worked with the Leeds Rugby Foundation since 2009. Starr is originally from Dewsbury and has always been involved with sport and health throughout his academic and working life. A keen Liverpool FC supporter, his favourite pastimes include eating out, doing chin ups and dancing on his toes.

Starr's remit is to engage with minority and ethnic groups and to facilitate their access to the Leeds Rugby Foundation, facilities, services and link in with current provision through partners.

An example of this is; whereby Starr worked with Dewsbury Celtic and a local faith group to deliver rugby sessions, this brought high praise from rugby league community. Starr also runs the Health Programme at the Hamara Centre in Leeds.

Starr has always been a Leeds Rhinos fan and his favourite Leeds Rhinos players including Barrie McDermott, Kevin Sinfield, JJB, Big Al, Francis Cummins and the late John Holmes.

Starr has qualified in Sport, Exercise & Health, having studied at Leeds Metropolitan University and is currently undertaking his MSC in health and wellbeing. He is a qualified coach educator for the RFL and is especially interested in the conditioning and sports science elements of rugby and takes lots of tips from the conditioners at Leeds Rhinos / Carnegie.

Email: starr.zaman@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rhinos Primary School Development Officer

Tony is the Leeds Rhinos Primary Schools development officer. In my role I overlook a number of projects including Tuesday touch and pass at soccer city. I also deliver coaching in primary schools as well as assemblies on healthy lifestyles and teamwork with my good friend Ronnie the Rhino! I am currently in my final year of my degree at Leeds Trinity University College and am currently studying Sport, Health, Exercise and Nutrition. I hope to complete this course then apply it in what I do here at the Rhinos.

I am also the camp manager at the rugby camps which take place in all the school holidays. In this role I am in charge of every aspect of the camp from staffing through to organising what activities the kids will take part in every day. In my spare time I also enjoy playing amateur rugby league and play with my local club Drighlinton ARLFC.

Email: tony.aubrey@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Service Area Co-ordinator

Leon joined the foundation after working for the RFL for 2 years as a development officer. Before this Leon studied sports development at Leeds Metropolitan University where he gained a BA (Hons) and also spent time travelling around Australia and New Zealand.

Leon has set up a junior rugby section 5 years ago at the club he still plays for and is still involved in the coaching and committee duties at the club. These experiences led Leon into the role of Leeds Service Area Coordinator, hosted at the Leeds Rugby Foundation.

Leon has a strong focus on club support and development, linking into the performance pathway for our junior players. Leon is also tasked with maintaining and increasing participation levels across the city through traditional 13 a side rugby league and the increasingly popular social forms of rugby such as touch, tag and masters.

Email: leon.crick@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Connecting Community Manager

Trailblazer Ikram Butt made history by becoming the first British Muslim to represent England at either rugby code when he appeared for England against Wales in the European Rugby League Championship in 1995, dispelling the myth that such physical sports did not appeal to those with an Asian heritage.

Born in Leeds, a mere stone's throw away from the world famous Headingley Carnegie Stadium, he fulfilled a childhood dream by signing for his home city club as a teenager, gaining Colts International honors for Great Britain.

He moved on to Featherstone, where he enjoyed five excellent seasons, transferred to London for the inaugural Super League campaign in the summer of 1996 and finished his distinguished playing career at Huddersfield and Hunslet.

On the field, he has also captained Pakistan in the Asian Rugby Football Union championships and helped that nation to win their first ever Tri-Nations event against the Philippines and Guam in 2005.

He went on to set up the South Asia Bulls and the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA) with the aim of encouraging more Asians to participate in sport and benefit from the values it instills, recently forming and managing the pioneering British Pakistan RL XIII.

BARA has been recognized by both rugby governing bodies and Sport England for their work in the community and given direct endorsement by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

As a result, Ikram is now a regular visitor to the House of Commons, pioneers development work in the UK, India and Pakistan and is recognized as one of the most influential Asian role models in the country.

Email: ikram.butt@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rhinos Dance Captain

I'm Nicola, I joined the club as part of the dance team way back in 1999, so this will be my 13th season with Leeds Rugby and I'm honoured to be a part of such a fantastic club.

I have danced all of my life, I started my training at a local dance school then went on to do dance at GCSE and A'level at Intake High School. Following school I went to University in Liverpool where I studied dance at degree level gaining a BA Hons from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

I became captain of the dance team in 2006, and since then I have been really pleased to see dance become an integral part of the club and the Foundation. Dance was first included within the Leeds Rugby Foundation's work when dance was offered at the Summer Activity Camps, this then lead to LRF offering Summer Dance Camps with my guidance.

Following the success of the dance camps came the launch of the Leeds Rhinos Junior Dance Academy. The Rhinestones was set up with the support of the Foundation in 2009 and it has been a massive success and will celebrate it's 3rd birthday in March, I now have well over 100 great girls coming to my dance classes each week. I hope the Rhinestones will continue to grow and produce the next generation of Rhinos dancers!

Leeds Rugby Foundation Schools Administrator

Madeleine is a retired primary school teacher who has worked as Volunteer Schools' Administrator with the Foundation since 2008. She is responsible for liaising with primary schools to organise coaching sessions, assemblies and festivals, which are delivered by the Foundation team coaches. Madeleine's role also involves reporting key data to the RFL to ensure that vital funding is received.

Madeleine came to Rugby League relatively late in life but is making up for lost time! During 13 years of coaching a school team at Immaculate Heart Catholic Primary School Madeleine took on the role of Primary Schools' Co-ordinator for the Leeds and Hunslet Schools' Rugby League Association - a role which includes organising friendly rallies, cup competitions and the prestigious Culley Sevens Tournament - and then in 2010 Madeleine went a step further and helped to create North Leeds Leopards, giving the children of North Leeds a local club for the first time. The role of Club Secretary is a surprisingly time consuming one.

Madeleine is passionate about Rugby League in general and the Rhinos in particular. When not involved in rugby she enjoys walking.

Email: madeleine.hegarty@leedsrugbyfoundation.org

Leeds Rugby Foundation Ambassador

John is a retired teacher and lifelong Leeds RL fan who has coached schoolboy rugby at city and county level. John has acted as Secretary and Chairman of schools' representative bodies in the city as well as being Chairman of the English Schools Rugby League. He is currently the Vice-chair of Leeds & Hunslet Schools R.L. and Secretary of Yorkshire Schools RL.

John was the site manager for the Leeds Rugby Academy at Kirkstall, and is a member of the Leeds RL. Heritage Project committee and vice-chairman of the newly formed North Leeds Leopards Junior RL club. John is also the Leeds Rhino's assistant club welfare officer and the stadium safeguarding officer at Headingley Carnegie for the Rhinos home games. If cut across it is likely that John would have "Rugby League" written all the way through him!

Leeds Rugby Foundation Website Administrator

Mark is a full-time volunteer with the Foundation department, He is responsible for looking after the Foundation Website both creating story's for it, uploading articles that the Foundation coaching staff have created and also dealing with the content of the site.

Mark also helps in the school assemblies on healthy eating. He also helps with all the tournaments that the Foundation run providing an administrative role with write ups after the events and organising the teams during the events.

Email: mark.shutt@leedsrugbyfoundation.org