Steve Hartle (above) talks about how he's kept the team going ahead of the new season. Credit: Elliot Burrow.
After recent government announcements which now means that organised sport can resume, Barrow Ladies Rugby League team returned to training this week for the first time this year.
Steve Hartle is one of the coaches of the team, and he's been keeping the squad going through the lockdowns with different challenges to keep them fit.
The 38 year-old, who got involved with the side after head coach Simon Woodend brought him on board for his strength and conditioning side of things, spoke about how he has kept the side active.
Hartle said: "Lots of zoom, which has become the bane of my life!
"We’ve been doing online workouts once a week on Tuesday's, because I know some of the girls do some of their own stuff.
Above: The team have kept going through their online zoom sessions.
"With my business I’ve been able to do a lot of one to one with them, which has involved a lot of strength and conditioning work.
"I've had 15 of them coming down out of the 30, and we’ve gone through strength programmes and we’ve also set them challenges to do, such as weight challenges, body challenges and we try and set them out a distance to go and run or walk or cycle for the week and they’re not runners so we put it at sort of 5k.
"It was more than enough and it kept them going that way so, but we’re actually looking forward to getting back into it now so because I can’t cope with anymore zoom sessions."
A return to competitive action is just around the corner, and Hartle spoke about how much of a miss not being able to do any rugby has been.
Above: The RFL discussing their ReturnToPlay plan.
He said: "It’s been massive and it’s the same for everyone.
"When your used to playing week in week out and training, it’s just been a big miss.
"It’s been worse this time because we came back in and did that little bit of training at the back end of last year, and I think this one has hit us more simply because we lost all of the momentum from the 2019 season, and then we we couldn't come back, it just deflated everyone.
"Since we’ve got things organised within the group of five coaches who are great, and we just thought we’ve got to get together here and do something and keep them moving.
"It’s still been tough but it’s been good to getting them back together even if it isn’t rugby and it’s been better since the new year I mean. but they just want to get back on the field, and they can’t wait."
Big news was also announced for the club when it was revealed that they would partner the Barrow Raiders, and Hartle commented on how that all came about.
Above: The official announcement on the team's twitter page about the new partnership with Barrow Raiders.
Hartle said: "It’s massively important because if we want to progress women’s rugby in this area, it’s massively important that we went with with the (Barrow) Raiders.
"The package had to be right for both sides, and if we want to reach our ambitions of Super League we’ve got be where we are at now.
"The teams that have gone up, the two teams in Warrington and Huddersfield, we put nearly a hundred points into Huddersfield over two games, yet they’re in Super League now and we’re not because they’re associated with a professional club."
On how the talks came about, he said: "There was talks in the 2019 season that it could’ve happened, but obviously the time wasn’t right then.
"It was a conversation that we had as a committee and then it’s snowballed from there and I’ll admit, I didn’t think it would go as quick as this, but it’s a good thing that it has.
"We can’t thank Barrow Island enough though for everything they’ve done for us, and if it wasn’t for them then this team wouldn’t be around but it’s the most logical and best move for the club now and it’s just been a whirlwind."
The team has also made some new signings in the off-season, and Hartle said he was delighted with the players that they have brought in.
Above: The list of players in the squad for the upcoming season.
He said: "There’s been a link with Kendal Rugby Union where our players have played for them and their players have played for us, and with the move to Raiders, everyone thought that this is interesting now.
"We’ve got the lasses from up the coast that play for us, because there’s no team up there so they naturally came to us and the contacts we’ve had previously has also helped us.
"We’ve got a new Aussie who’s come over, and she’s actually a footballer, but she’s really keen and she’s friends with the captain Jodie Litherland and she looks really good so it’s good to have her on board.
"I think with the Raiders connection now it’s just become more attractive for people to come on board with us though."
Training for the side resumes back on Tuesday's and Thursday's, and they'll be hoping that this season can be their best one yet, with their eyes firmly fixed on a promotion bid.
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