There were twelve representatives of Hull FC’s burgeoning Sports College on show in yesterday’s triple-header with Sheffield Eagles at Olympic Legacy Park!
The main event saw Tony Smith’s side run out 22-20 winners, with a total of seven college representatives featuring in the game and helping the Black & Whites complete a comeback against Championship opposition.
It followed the Hull FC Womens’ narrow 26-24 win over Sheffield Eagles Women earlier in the afternoon, which saw a further four college representatives in the Black & White colours.
And in the Wheelchair match between Hull and the Eagles in the morning, Connor Sweeney, another on the Sports College roster, appeared in a hard-fought 26-26 draw at Forge Valley.
The day was an opportunity to celebrate the success of the Black & Whites’ Sports College, with twelve students representing the club in South Yorkshire.
First-team players Davy Litten, Lewis Martin, Manoa Wacokecoke and Zach Jebson came off the bench to feature in the second-half of the pre-season friendly at Olympic Legacy Park, with Litten going close to scoring on three separate occasions.
All four players have their education built around their busy training schedules, enabling them to develop their skills in more way than one with Hull FC.
Matty Laidlaw, Harvey Barron and Nick Staveley, who also played in yesterday’s friendly, can all now fully focus on their rugby league careers having completed their studies with the Sports College.
In an interview with hullfc.com last year, Matty Laidlaw said: “I really, really enjoyed my time at the college. The set-up at the Centre of Excellence is really good for helping you get to know everyone. I had a great relationship with all of the lads down there, which made me look forward to getting out on the field with them on a Wednesday afternoon. Because the Academy and Sports College is based in the same place, the two work hand in hand really well.”
For the Women’s team, three of the four college representatives were on the scoresheet to help Jack Coates’ side record a 26-24 victory over their South Yorkshire counterparts.
Abbi Turner, Poppy Lyon and Charlie Lawson crossed the whitewash in the win, whilst Alisha Roper looked sharp in the hooker role when she was introduced from the bench.
Their appearances for the Women’s team champions the inclusivity of the Sports College, which saw a staggering 300% increase in female students attending for the 2022/23 academic year.
If you are still thinking about what next steps you’d like to take with your education for the new academic year in September, the Hull FC Sports College offers a range of courses and opportunities for students, and not just those who want to pursue a career as a rugby player!
To discover more about the Sports College, please click here
If you’d like to learn more, please email jack.lazenby@hullfc.com.
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