The LRLC Development Department qualified its first batch of school teacher coaches this past week, following two days of training in Tripoli, North Lebanon. The fifteen new coaches have been given the LRLC Level 1 rating, following a re-structuring of the league’s development pathway. All previous Level 1 Club Coaches have been automatically awarded an LRLC Level 2 rating.

Director of Coaching Remond Safi, who designed and led the course, said: “this is phase one of our school programme. The Development Department is looking forward to running another course in Tripoli in January for more teachers who didn’t have the opportunity to attend this course. We shall be looking for more support from the education ministry in standardizing the sport across Lebanon.”

The LRLC will be running a two-day course in Beirut on 8-9 December as the government sector schools look set to join the select private schools already conducting weekly rugby league training, with several more private sector schools preparing to add rugby league to their stable of activities. The LRLC will be seeking help from the government and private donors to supply balls, with many State schools prevented from beginning regular training due to the lack of this essential basic. Once both the Tripoli and Beirut Level 1 coaching courses have been successfully completed the LRLC will investigate launching an organized girls rugby league schools programme.

Safi ran the course with LRLC Level 2 coaches Robin Hachache, Jean Paul Zakhour and Nayef Abisaid, who put the 15 candidates through their paces, teaching them the fundamental skills of rugby league and going through each drill included in the LRLC’s initial three-month development plan. One of the newly qualified rugby league coaches, Rabieh El Masri, was enthusiastic about rugby league in Lebanon: “It’s about time we had a sport our students can relate to. Now they can take out their frustration on the sports field instead of fighting each other in their lunch break!”