A thriving sports club is more often than not one that has a flourishing youth system in place.
Trying to establish the right kind of platform to bring young players into the game and develop their talents are Maryport Rugby League Club.
Marc Ivison, head of youth at Maryport, along with ex-Town player Dan Rooney who has joined the youth coaching team at the club, have been busy promoting the sport in the town and local district.
Maryport had appointed a new trio of coaches to re-boot the senior team with Mark Foster, Simon Pattinson and Brett Smith directing operations.
Pattinson has also been involved in the youth coaching and said: “We started to go into schools last year to do a bit of coaching to promote coming to Maryport to play in the youth section.
“It was a fantastic success and our youth sessions have been so successful with numbers we have continued this year and cover all the schools in the Maryport area.
“This week we have been to Dearham where we were well received and the interest among the kids was terrific.”
With a senior squad approaching 30 and some new blood boosting a thriving youth section Maryport should be a club to keep an eye on over the next few years.
