Castleford Tigers have secured their Academy Licence until the end of 2027.
The announcement comes on the back of significant progress by the club on its youth development and pathways over the past 18 months, which has earned the Tigers a ‘good’ grade from the RFL.
Dave Rotheram, the RFL’s Chief On-Field Officer, says: “Castleford Tigers have worked diligently to secure a full Academy Licence – a just reward for the efforts of Rob Nickolay, Danny Wilson, Simon Fox and everybody else involved in driving up standards at the Academy. Ultimately young players, the club and the game in general will all benefit.”
Castleford Tigers’ Head of Youth Development, Rob Nickolay, adds: “Everyone at the Tigers is absolutely delighted with this news, it’s some of the biggest news that the club has had for a little while.
“It has been a year of transition putting in the foundations to be re-assessed by the RFL. There has been a whole host of different areas and criteria we have had to meet. Now to be recognised by the RFL for the direction we have gone in is fantastic.
“From where we were to get to this point has been a worry and has been tough, but everyone has been pulling in the same direction, there is an appetite from the whole club and everyone involved. A club in this area with a hotbed of talent that we have got, with the history and heritage we have got, we need an Academy to be a big part of where we are going and the journey that we are going on. This is the start of what is going to be a longer journey.”
Castleford’s education pathway will see all the club’s Academy players engaged in further education through the Tigers College – a partnership with University Centre Leeds – or through additional linked educational programmes.
