21-year-old Jordan Fentiman, from Leeds, has been appointed as Academy Strength and Conditioning Coach at Castleford Tigers RLFC whilst completing an undergraduate degree in Strength and Conditioning at Leeds Trinity.

Jordan is the most recent beneficiary of the partnership between the University and the rugby league club, after first participating through a Strength and Conditioning internship in November 2018, before progressing to his new role within the Academy programme. His aspirations are to become a Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for a professional rugby club.

Jordan said: “I have been at the club for 18 months now and have been given some unbelievable opportunities and experiences. Every single coach at the club and my tutors at the university were all extremely supportive and have all played a part in my development as a coach and a person.

“After a year and a half of hard work, I have just taken one step closer to my goal (to become Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) after becoming the Lead Academy Strength and Conditioning coach at the club. This will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge of my career, but one that I am ready for and cannot wait to get stuck into.”

The partnership between Leeds Trinity and Castleford Tigers RLFC was established in 2017 with the Rugby Football League (RFL), to develop a co-funded PhD studentship for Rick Aben, former Academy Strength and Conditioning Coach at Castleford Tigers RLFC. Rick’s PhD investigates the fatigue and recovery response of academy rugby league players taking input from Professor Mark Russell and Dr Danielle Davis at Leeds Trinity University, and Professor Ben Jones from the RFL.

The partnership has become pivotal for Castleford Tigers’ Youth Development Pathways programme and in advancing academic learnings in the field of sport and exercise science, resulting in a number of scientific articles being published in leading sports journals. Both organisations are currently in talks to determine how the partnership can continue to expand its offering in the future.

Professor Mark Russell, Interim Co-Lead for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Leeds Trinity University, said: “The relationship between Castleford Tigers and Leeds Trinity University has proven especially worthwhile for all involved. When Jordan joined Leeds Trinity he was keen to gain practical experience in a sports team, and it was a great opportunity to use existing research links to enhance the student experience and allow Jordan to apply the principles he had learnt in his degree while also benefiting the club.

“Jordan's new role is a testament to his dedication, willingness to learn and his flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of professional sport. We look forward to continuing to work with him and Castleford Tigers.”

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