Study alongside rugby
Alongside the fantastic sports-based courses on offer, Wigan Warriors Education allows students to put their boots on and take to the field to develop their Rugby League skills.
Based within the first-class environment of Robin Park Arena, the Education Rugby Academy provides a unique opportunity for 16 to 18-year-olds to take part in a player development pathway.
Including a Boys team and a Girls team, with the latter being a joint side with Wigan and Leigh College Girls, students have the chance to participate in a high-performance training programme alongside a weekly programme of games.
A blended timetable allows students the time to study the course they love, as well as attending training and competing in games each week – representing the Club’s via the colleges Rugby League competition, which is run by the RFL.
Wigan Warriors Education Rugby Academy 
One former student and player who has seen the benfits of the Education Rugby Academy is Billy Liptrot. Having progressed through ranks from Level 2, Liptrot is now the assistant coach of the Education team and is studying on the Wigan Warriors Sports Coaching Degree Programme.
Explaining his journey so far, he said: “I’m on my fifth year at the college, I’ve completed two courses [Level 2 Sports Coaching and Fitness Instructing and Level 3 BTEC in Sport Extended Diploma] and I’m currently on the degree course.
“I’ve really enjoyed the challenges of each course. I played and captained the college team for the first three years, and it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. Plenty of highs and plenty of lows but the last year was the most enjoyable with the success the team had.
“It was one of the best sides I’ve been involved in. We won the league and got to the National Cup Final.”
One key figure who helped Liptrot progress to the place where he is now is Education team head coach, Dan Fullerton.
Fullerton brings a vast amount of coaching experience to the Education side, as he also works for the Wigan Warriors Academy with the Under-16s and Under-18s teams.
Liptrot said: “In the last season, I got a few little minor injuries and got the opportunity to help out and learn from Dan.
“He gave me the opportunity to come onboard and become a part of the coaching staff. This is also my work experience for my degree course. I help Dan out with sessions and take some myself. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have the knowledge I have today. This opportunity gave me a good insight of what I want to gain from this coaching and my studies too.”
Another student who has gained from playing for the Education team is Josh Buckley – the current team captain and a second-year student.
He said: “It’s great at Wigan as we have all the facilities and coaching staff a lot of colleges don’t have. We get to train after our lessons which is ideal, and we all get to bond as a team in and around the college.
“I personally enjoy the training side of things as it’s at such a high standard and you can see this in our matches. We play with such intensity and it is shown in our results.
“It’s great developing as a player and I’ve taken what I’ve learned at Wigan back to Chorley Panthers and managed to enhance my performances on a Sunday there.”
A range of hands-on courses have already benefited hundreds of 16 to 18-year-old students at post high school level, gearing them up for careers in sports, fitness, physiotherapy and other related fields.
Now the time has come to showcase the offer to a new generation, with recruitment for the 2021/22 academic year well underway in spite of ongoing issues around social distancing and the current Covid-19 lockdown.
Below is a video which highlights exactly what a typical term with Wigan Warriors Education looks like, with the team planning for as much normality to delivery in the next academic year as possible; e.g. teaching in person in our fantastic classrooms and training facilities, as well as some fantastic extra-curricular opportunities.
Fields of study currently on offer to students at Wigan Warriors Education include:
- Fitness instruction and personal training
- Sports coaching
- Sports science
- Sports development
- Sports rehabilitation
- …and many more!
Wider opportunities from the courses include the chance to be part of the team putting on the gameday experience at the DW Stadium, undertake international travel through work experience projects (subject to the global situation at the time) or take part in the National Citizenship Service (NCS) programme to improve life skills and take part in social action projects.
Wigan Warriors Education are currently recruiting students and players for September 2021. A virtual open evening is taking place on Monday 16thNovember between 4pm and 8pm. If you’re leaving school in 2021 and haven’t taken a look at our fantastic Education 16-18 courses and facilities at Robin Park Arena, get in touch and book your slot.
Thinking about your future? The Wigan Warriors Education virtual open evening can provide you with a real future of a career in sport. Book your 30-minute slot with one of the Education team online by emailing education@wiganwarriors.com, ringing 01942 762 888 or direct messaging @WiganWarriorsEd on Twitter.
To discover more about the Wigan Warriors Rugby Academy, email Head Coach Dan Fullerton at d.fullerton@wiganwarriors.com.
