Hull FC Women’s full-back Leanna Baggley is our latest Women’s Player in Focus as she explains the challenges facing the team during the current climate.
How are you enjoying your time being involved with Hull FC Women?
I am enjoying that women’s rugby has grown and continues to grow over time and I am pleased that that I am able to take part in the process .
Being from Hull myself having the two women’s rugby teams is great to promote the sport in your local area and up and down the country.
The girls at FC are a great bunch we have plenty of laughs but we all know when to switch on and focus on the upcoming season. We started preseason back in November and from then we have been putting 100% into our own training and as a group during training sessions.
How am I finding life and training during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The current situation has caused obvious difficult times for everyone and has of course had an impact on training sessions and preseason. However myself and the rest of the team are sticking to our plans and doing what we are being told to do whilst making the best of a difficult situation.
I myself am a key worker so I am currently still working as normal during this time. When I finish work I go for a run and stick to my fitness plans as much as possible.
There are lots of challenges all over social media at the moment including raising money for the NHS by running 5 km which I have enjoyed throwing myself into and other challenges whilst keeping my mind focused on training and attending zoom meetings with the rest of the team when I am able to do so.
How are you finding training on Zoom?
The Zoom sessions are brilliant, as a group the girls have done brilliantly when we have our sessions. Everyone has been putting a good amount of effort in and still working hard given the current situation and circumstances that we are in.
Sam our coach is always in contact with us as a team and he pushes us to want to get the best results and to keep all the hard work from preseason going.
Some people are working like myself so it is hard to get everybody on the meetings at one given time but I would like to think everyone is putting effort in individually from home and will put us in good stead.
What the rugby finally resumes, what are your goals for the new season?
My goals for the new season at to be better than the last as I always say room for improvement and love pushing myself as much as I can. I started playing rugby after playing football for 16 years so for myself I have a lot to learn still and I am Excited to get stuck in and see where the season takes Hull FC women going forward.