PLANS are in place to form girls’ rugby league teams in the Minster city to give the youngsters a playing platform and a pathway to the York Ladies side – as well as representative honours.

An under-16s girls’ team has already been created at New Earswick All Blacks ARLC, called York Ravens, and an open day will take place at the club’s White Rose Avenue ground on Monday night to encourage lots more girls to get involved, either at that age or younger.

As it stands, girls can play in junior teams up to U11s but thereafter they must split into genders. Plenty of girls also play tag or touch rugby at secondary school age.

However, a dearth of girlsonly community teams means the girls who are currently playing – up to U11s or in schools – have nowhere to go and continue the sport at club level.

Ian Hood, an assistant coach of the new Ravens U16s side, and former Castleford Panthers Ladies boss, says there is an aim to have a team at each age level in York, potentially shared between each of the city’s junior and youth clubs – All Blacks, York Acorn and Heworth.

Hood said: “Before the Ravens was set up, the nearest teams for these girls were in Leeds, Castleford and Dewsbury, in South and West Yorkshire.

For a city like York, which has its own professional team in York City Knights, we’re missing a trick really.

“Some girls were travelling to Cas – they’re prepared to do that 60-mile round trip for a game.

“The legacy of the London Olympics was that community sport would benefit financially.

“We haven’t really seen that yet but the ladies’ World Cup made the television and the number of people that were there shows that ladies’ rugby league – both codes of rugby in fact – is getting bigger.

“We want kids to get involved in sport and it’s a shame that girls sometimes seem to get forgotten. We’re hoping to set these teams up so they can continue playing or start playing, and it creates a pathway to York Ladies and onto Yorkshire or even England or Great Britain level.”

Monday’s open event, from 7pm to 8pm, will include talks by coaches, nutritionists and senior female players, including Yorkshire county women, with free tea and coffee provided, and it is hoped several teachers and parents will also get involved.

All are welcome to give it a go or ask questions and find out more.

The new U16s outfit already have 16 girls down training regularly, aged from 14 to 16, and have secured sponsorship from PMJ Masonry and clothing and equipment manufacturer Raven Sport.