Elite Training Facility for Women’s Rugby League and Football confirmed

[josie andrews]

* Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic to invest in new Women & Girls Elite Training Centre at Edge Hall Road Stadium in Orrell.

* The site will be brought back into use for the first time since 2019 with a wider focus on delivering a range of Sport, Health and Wellbeing initiatives.

* Pioneering initiative for both Clubs, with a first-of-its-kind training centre in the UK.

WIGAN WARRIORS AND WIGAN ATHLETIC ARE DELIGHTED TO UNVEIL PLANS TO REDEVELOP THE EDGE HALL ROAD STADIUM AS AN ELITE TRAINING CENTRE FOR WOMEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE AND FOOTBALL.

The Edge Hall Road site in Orrell has been dormant since moving Wigan Warriors’ First Team operations to Robin Park Arena in 2019. Despite not being used, the site has remained in good condition and provides an excellent base to achieve the Club’s aspirations for the development of the Women & Girls pathway.

The Elite Training Centre for Wigan Warriors will be the first-of-its-kind for Rugby League, with no other club having bespoke facilities. For Wigan Athletic, the centre demonstrates a strong commitment to developing the Women’s team directly under the Club’s leadership, as well as a facility where Wigan Athletic Women will play their home games from 2024/25.

The intention is that the Edge Hall Road site will offer an elite facility that enables Wigan Athletic to build solid foundations in the development of the inaugural Women’s team that is operated directly under the Club’s leadership, whilst providing Wigan Warriors with the opportunity to significantly enhance the well-established Women & Girls pathway.

The plans for the site include a wider vision to support the health and wellbeing of the local Community, whilst also working strategically with community sports clubs to host certain fixtures at the site. The Clubs also plan to use the site for community outreach work via Wigan Athletic Community Trust and Wigan Warriors Community Foundation.

Work on the site will be underway over the coming months, and will include a full refurbishment of the clubhouse and surrounding facilities.

Wigan Warriors Chief Executive, Kris Radlinski said: “This marks yet another significant leap forward for women’s sports in our town. Whilst the football club is just embarking on its journey in women’s football, our rugby side has been dedicated to advancing women’s rugby for several years now.

“We’ve invested extensively in a women’s performance programme, including coaching and medical infrastructure led by Denis Betts.

“The establishment of their dedicated facility will propel the programme to even greater heights. Additionally, this is another example of us working collaboratively with Wigan Athletic both from a performance programme perspective and with the Community initiatives of both Clubs.”

Gregor Rioch, Sporting Director of Wigan Athletic, added: “On the back of the Club’s historic announcement in March, this once again emphasises the importance we have put on both women’s football and sport in general here at Wigan Athletic and across the wider borough.

“In partnership with Wigan Warriors Women, the intention is to provide the best possible facility for our women’s football team to develop, whilst ensuring the local community also benefits from the facility.

“We are excited to see the work develop ahead of our women’s team kicking off their season there in September.”

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/05/ ... confirmed/