Club Doncaster were celebrating this week after Doncaster Rugby League picked up Project of the Year at the Kingstone Press Championship and League 1 Awards on Monday.
The Junior Takeover Day, held back in May as the Dons hosted Oxford Rugby League, clinched the accolade for its outstanding achievement of raising the visibility and attendance at one or more games through a special project.
The project offers pupils in partner schools the opportunity to be a part of the club on a match day, with the various roles around the stadium occupied by a child.
After applying for one of 30 roles, the students are paired up and spend the day shadowing professional roles that vary from first-team player to tannoy announcer.
Club Doncaster Community Officer Dean Sharp hopes that future projects can emulate the success. He said: “I could not be more proud of this team or the award, it really is a credit to what we do.
“A lot of hard work from everyone in the team was put in to make sure that, ultimately, the pupils enjoyed the day and took some real life experience away from it.
“Junior Takeover Day really is an opportunity the pupils can’t get anywhere else – they experience exactly what happens behind the scenes of a club and learn that there is a lot more to a rugby or football team than just the players that they cheer on every week.”
With Junior Takeover Days showcased by the Foundation for both the Dons and Doncaster Rovers, it allows children to live their dream for the day and inspires them to look at the possibilities of a career path in sport.
The next Junior Takeover Day is on the Saturday March 11 as Rovers host Cheltenham Town. This is open for partner school pupils to ‘apply’ for their dream job role and experience.
To find out more, contact Dean Sharp on dean.sharp@clubdoncasterfoundation.co.uk or 01302 764663.
Club News
Foundation Friday: JTO
16 September 2016
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