From the moment 15-year-old Molly Woodward from Westhoughton stepped onto the rugby field, she discovered a passion for the sport that was unlike anything she’d experienced before.
Molly’s rugby journey began in February 2024 when she attended her first Project Rugby session at school delivered by the Sale Sharks Foundation, sparking an interest that has been life changing.
Rugby offered Molly something unique and she quickly realised it was a sport she loved and wanted to pursue.
Teachers soon noticed a boost in Molly’s confidence at school, observing that she had become more outgoing and had made new friends through her involvement in rugby.
Now a positive role model to others, Molly credits rugby for improving her fitness and widening her circle of friends, factors which have led to her improved application and attitude at school.
Charlotte Heywood, Project Rugby Lead at Premiership Rugby said: ” Molly’s story has inspired us all and demonstrates how Project Rugby is breaking down barriers and creating a supportive, inclusive environment for young people, particularly girls, to thrive in sport.
“It is thanks to our clubs like Sale Sharks and their foundation’s talented community teams who deliver the programme, that we can continue to drive our mission of increasing participation, diversity and inclusion in rugby.
“Molly’s journey highlights the programme’s transformative power in building confidence, developing new skills, and transitioning young people into local clubs.”
The coaches from Sharks’ community team guided her to Bolton Rugby Club, where she joined the girls’ team and started training and playing regularly.
Since joining the Bolton Amazons U16s team, Molly was awarded Captain’s Player of the Match in only her first full season.
Her passion for the sport doesn’t stop there – she became a vocal advocate for girls’ rugby at her school, attending every girl’s rugby session this year and encouraging more girls to participate in after-school clubs to help grow the game.
Molly’s is just one of many inspiring stories that will be highlighted during Community Weekend Round 7 of Gallagher Premiership Rugby (29th Nov – 1st Dec), celebrating the award-winning community programmes run by Premiership Rugby in collaboration with its ten clubs and club foundations.
Chris Patterson, Regional Managing Director, Northwest at Gallagher UK, added: “Molly’s story is a brilliant example of how Project Rugby is making a difference to the lives of young people.
“Sport has an important role in the lives of young people in terms of teaching them new skills and helping to grow their confidence.
“Gallagher is very proud to support this fantastic initiative as it really is helping to make rugby more inclusive and accessible.”
Project Rugby, delivered in partnership with Gallagher UK and the RFU, delivers fun, inclusive, non-contact sessions which help break down barriers to playing the sport with the aim of increasing participation, diversity and inclusion in the game.
Community staff and professional coaches at each of Premiership Rugby’s club foundations work closely within their communities to deliver regular sessions designed to engage participants no matter their age, background or ability, with more than 100,000 participants engaged since its launch in 2017.
To find your nearest Project Rugby session visit: www.premiershiprugby.com/community/project-rugby
Featured Image Credit: Sale Sharks Foundation
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