Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
LBU support England Women Rugby League on their road to the World Cup
Professor Ben Jones from the Carnegie School of Sport has led performance testing with the team at the university’s Carnegie School of Sport building ahead of the start of the Women’s Super League season.
Professor Jones who also has a role as Head of Performance and Data with England Rugby League, says the tests are beneficial to track the players’ progress and equip them with all the tools they need to succeed in the World Cup.
He said: “The aim of these sessions is to benchmark where the players are currently at, in terms of performance, and compare their performance levels to the last time we tested them just before Christmas.
“We’ve got two more rounds of testing with the players this year, one will be midway through the Super League season and the final one before the start of the World Cup.
“My aim as the Head of Performance is that we can look back after the World Cup and say that we did everything we possibly could to put the players in the best position to perform.”
Two players who have been supported by Professor Ben Jones and his team are Leeds Beckett University students Kelsey Gentles and Keara Bennett.
Both Kelsey and Keara have been included in head coach Craig Richards’ England elite training squad, alongside Leeds Beckett University Sport and Exercise Physiology graduate and St Helens winger, Leah Burke.
Kelsey, who is a sports scholarship student at the university, says the support she’s received from the university alongside her studies has enabled her to progress her professional rugby league career.
“The support staff at Leeds Beckett are really helpful, I’ve got access to nutritionists, psychologists, strength & conditioning sessions, I can get all of the help that I need which really does help when you’ve got a lot going on. Having a good support system is really important when you’re an athlete and I’ve got a really good one here at Leeds Beckett.”
Kelsey also paid tribute to the facilities available to the England team at the Carnegie School of Sport:
“The facilities are amazing here. We’re really lucky as a team to have these facilities at our disposal and use them every week. The coaches can really get the best out of us because we have access to the best facilities, equipment and expertise.”
England Women Head of Talent Pathways Stuart Barrow said: “There are three crucial components for the team to have a successful World Cup. You need the players, the staff and also the facilities to train and prepare in.
“The facilities here at Leeds Beckett are excellent, we have access to the pitch, the labs, the experts and now we’re doing scientific testing, which has never really been done in the women’s game before so it’s unique to the players. The work will give us more data and information to work with.”
Leeds Beckett University’s first year sports journalism students Dan Hawkhead, Oliver Mould, and Will Lobely interviewed the players, coaches and academics involved in the recent testing on campus.
Senior Lecturer, Taylor Umland says the opportunity for the students to work with elite athletes, coaches, and academics caps off an impressive first year of the programme. He said: “So far this year, our students have interviewed athletes from England Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos, American footballers, international scholarship athletes and stars from the university’s sports teams. The opportunity for students to be able to interview international coaches, players, and staff in their first year is incredible.
“There is so much amazing sport happening at Leeds Beckett. The sport journalists are getting opportunities to report, interview and create content with some of the best athletes in the world, all in their first year on campus. They are developing skills, confidence and most importantly, a portfolio. This combination will allow them to apply for jobs and work placements.”