Beaudesert’s deeply rooted rugby league culture is set to go from strength to strength through a new partnership between Beaudesert High and the Beaudesert Kingfishers.
The local partnership is aided by the Gold Coast Titans, who have officially become a supporting partner of the school’s rugby league program.
About 150 students are expected to be involved in the new program, which is open to male and female students in years 7 to 12 and will kick off as part of the timetable when school starts back.
The school and local club will work together to develop girls’ and boys’ rugby league locally, co-sharing facilities and using Kingfishers coaches each week to support students.
The program will work in with the national curriculum, with participating students doing it as part of HPE with a focus on rugby league.
Acting Principal Grant Stephensen is a driving force behind the program, having seen great success running programs like this in other schools dating back to the first one at Marsden in 2007.
He said it was an exciting time for Beaudesert.
“The key thing is engagement in school and better outcomes for students through engagement and giving them what they love,” he said.
“So many students and families in this area are passionate about rugby league and I’ve just seen what it’s done for probably thousands of students over my time in education linked with rugby league programs, helping them become better people.
“This is giving the time to it that it needs to develop quality individuals and quality athletes, because it’s part of the curriculum.”
Mr Stephensen said it would benefit a range of students, from aspiring professional players to those who just loved footy.
“Through it, students will learn about nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports psychology and how to be a better student athlete so they can potentially turn into professional athletes – but that’s just a by-product of better grades, better discipline and being better people,” he said.
“The hope is more to just develop good people and better results at school, but those 1 per cent of students who do go on to make a career in rugby league will have a pathway set up for them.”
