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Leeds Beckett alumni celebrate new era of partnership with Leeds Tykes

27 March 2025

Leeds Beckett and Leeds Tykes are celebrating a partnership which will see a new generation join the treadmill of talent between the university and all areas of the rugby club.

Image of Leeds Tykes members posing for a photograph — Team Beckett at the Tykes (left to right): Fiona Maynard, Charlie Venables , Charlie Parkin, Tom Collins, Jake Brady, Jack Gilmartin, Toryn Blackwood and Peter Seabourne

The rugby club boasts Leeds Becket alumni in its playing staff, coaching, treatment room and gyms, as well as the business side of the club.

A group including lead of Strength and Conditioning Charlie Venables, club captain Tom Collins and Director of Rugby Peter Seabourne visited Leeds Beckett's Headingley Campus as the two institutions signed a new 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MoU) aimed at advancing rugby excellence, nurturing talent, and expanding opportunities for both students and athletes.

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to fostering development on and off the pitch, benefiting players, coaches, and Leeds' sports community.

The partnership helps create a pathway for Leeds Beckett's well-coached and highly skilled rugby players to join Leeds Tykes, Leeds' rugby union team where many alumni already play key roles. From players to physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, and members of the management team, Leeds Beckett has already left its stamp on the club with many having studied at the university.

The collaboration also facilitates shared resources, including coaching expertise and training facilities.

Pete Mackreth, Dean of Carnegie School of Sports, Leeds Becket University, said: "Sport is part of the fabric of life in Leeds, and we pride ourselves on the support we offer to local sports clubs and athletes. This partnership will help to attract talent to the city, and through our partnership clubs such as Leeds Tykes benefit from access to our world-renowned facilities and expertise and student body."

Leeds Tykes Chairman Alastair Da Costa said: "We are delighted to have signed the MoU with Leeds Beckett University. Our partnership, which has always been good, will now develop even further between Tykes and LBU to support quality player development and progression in Leeds and the wider region."

Jake Brady, General Manager, said: "We're really proud of our associations with Leeds Beckett, so we're delighted to formalise the route to support students into careers in our club and in rugby. This partnership strengthens the game in the region and sets a benchmark for how clubs and universities can work together to grow the sport and ensure the highest standards on and off the field."

Dan Stanley, Beckett Sport's Head of Sport, Health and Wellbeing, said: "It's fantastic to see our strong ties with Leeds Tykes reflected in such a talented group of alumni and current students. This partnership not only helps us attract top rugby talent to the university but also provides valuable playing opportunities with Tykes. Beyond the pitch, it provides students with opportunities to develop the skills and experiences needed to advance their careers."

The journey of Leeds Beckett graduate Charlie Venables is a testament to the existing close collaboration between the club and university. After playing for Leeds Tykes, Venables advanced to become the club's Head of Strength and Conditioning and later secured a role with Leeds Rhinos.

Charlie Venables said: "This partnership is so important and has the potential to have a huge impact on players. For me, the support from both Leeds Beckett and Leeds Tykes helped give me the skills and opportunities to grow as a player and as a professional."

For Leeds Beckett, the agreement enriches its popular rugby programmes, providing student players with access to professional coaching and clearer routes into rugby at a high level. Beyond sport, the partnership opens doors to placements, internships, and employment opportunities, offering students valuable real-world experience.

The agreement outlines a range of contributions from both parties, including coaching, facilities, and development opportunities. Leeds Tykes offers professional coaching for student players, match participation pathways, and access to healthcare partnerships, while Leeds Beckett provides coaching support, work experience routes, and media collaboration. Both organisations are committed to prioritising individual talent development and fostering the next generation of rugby players and professionals.

Looking ahead, the partnership's potential continues to grow. Plans are underway for the launch of Leeds Tykes' women's rugby team in the 2025/26 season, which will provide even more opportunities for Leeds Beckett students to develop and thrive in the sport.

Leeds Beckett at the Tykes

Charlie Parkin - Strength and Conditioning work experience/intern studying at Beckett
Ethan Knell-Moore - Sports marketing work experience, Beckett Student
Toryn Blackwood - Strength and Conditioning work experience/intern studying at Leeds Beckett

Leeds Beckett Alumni

Jack Gilmartin - Physiotherapist and Tykes player
Charlie Venables - Former player and lead S&C and Rhinos S&C
Tom Collins - Club Captain
Kieran Davies - Player, supported into employment with Marpak (Tykes Sponsor)
Fiona Maynard - Lead Physiotherapist
Jake Brady - General Manager
Peter Seabourne - Director Rugby Leeds Tykes

Leeds Beckett partnerships: Leeds Tykes

Jake Brady, General Manager and player at Leeds Tykes.

Dan Stanley, Head of Sport, Health and Wellbeing at Leeds Beckett University.

Leeds Beckett have got hundreds of students that play rugby. They play in the top league, BUCS Super Rugby. We've got a conveyor belt of students every year that are graduating from Leeds Beckett and want to stay in the city because it's a brilliant place, but also, sort of, breadth of courses that Leeds Beckett provides to students, we try and make the most of that as well. A lot of our staff in the medical department, physiotherapy, are from Leeds Beckett. There's also sports marketing lads that come on a placement to do that, so, yeah there's so many opportunities that Leeds Beckett provides us.

The Tykes are a great partner. It means that prospective students that are thinking about coming to Leeds Beckett can see that there's opportunities, not only for me to develop within the university game, but also then within the game, either while they're still at university, but certainly when they when they leave university.

Leeds deserves a great rugby union team. It's got a great... couple of great universities, and having the facilities that Leeds Beckett provides and the coaching and all the resources, it's a great place for young students to come and play rugby.

Yeah, it's definitely important to share that expertise. I think mainly just our civic responsibility and the fact that we're an anchor institution and, you know, we support sports clubs and organisations within the city of Leeds itself.

We're ambitious, we've not hidden from that, we want to move up through the leagues sustainably, and part of this partnership is going to be really important for that.