West Cumbria’s first ever disability rugby team is celebrating their first victory on the pitch.
Workington Storm RLFC was set by 18-year-old Jayden Blair earlier this year, who said there was a lack of opportunities for people with disabilities to play sport in the area, in March.
They played their first match – a charity fixture against the Workington Finches in aid of Andy’s Man Club and Nic’s Voices of Hope.
In a sweet moment, Workington Storm’s first ever try was scored by Jayden.
Jayden said: “It was a very competitive game with each team matching the score when the other took the lead.
“The game came to a climax when scores were level and it was decided to be a case of next try wins.
“I went off sick about four minutes before time but came back on to support my team when they were a man down.
“We fought hard and came out on top in the end when we put together a great set to break the line.
“I was very proud to score the winning try for the club I founded all those months ago and celebrating with the lads afterwards was priceless.
“Most people who are currently at Storm had never picked up a rugby ball before joining us but all of them got on the scoresheet in the game.
“We have full respect for our opponents and we would like to thank the Finches for the opportunity and St Benedict’s RUFC for their accommodation in what was just a bit of fun all in all.”
Jayden set up the club and aims to enter teams into the LDRL (learning disability) league and PDRL (physical disability) league.
He added: “There is also a strong mental health side to all this as statistics show people with disabilities are more likely to struggle with mental illness and confidence.
“I want to help people grow their confidence together as a team and make new mates at the same time.
“Rugby league is often referred to as the people’s game and credited as the community game so I knew this step was essential in making rugby league available to everyone.”
For more information about how to get involved, visit Workington Storm’s Facebook page.
