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The History of the Yorkshire Junior League

Prior to 1974, all Junior rugby was played only in Schools, and with Schools that did not have rugby in their weekly curriculum (and most did not) it meant that many youngsters did not get the chance to learn the skills of rugby league . 

In 1974 a group of enthusiasts from Dewsbury and Batley realised the need for providing Rugby League for youngsters in the area. A series of coaching sessions were organised at Savile Town, Dewsbury inviting youngsters to come along each Saturday for six weeks free of charge. 140 boys turned up for the first training session which had been organised by the Dewsbury RL coach Maurice Bamford and assisted by several Dewsbury players and local amateur coaches. At the end of the six coaching sessions it was decided to form a League at U15s with Shaw Cross, Dewsbury Moor, Thornhill and Dewsbury Boys being the founder members.

An inaugural meeting was held at Shaw Cross Boys Club Dewsbury (where they are still held to this day) and it was decided to form the Kirklees Junior Amateur Rugby League, the appointments of Norman Waite as Chairman, (Stan Baron for a few months) then Alf Tattersfield as Secretary and Les Hardy as Treasurer.  It was decided to extend the coaching sessions to Batley, then followed sessions at Drighlington, Spenborough, Ossett and Horbury from where teams were formed and recruited to join the League.

The League increased in 1975 with an U13s age group and by 1978 were running U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s. The growth of the League resulted in an inevitable change of name and it became the Yorkshire Junior League. 

Over the next few years teams from Castleford, Wakefield, York and Leeds had joined to increase it’s membership becoming the biggest league in B.A.R.L.A running teams at U8s 9s 10s 11s 12s 13s 14s 15s, providing “grass roots” rugby for over 4000 youngsters representing over 50 Clubs, and 200 teams.

In 1999 we celebrated our Silver Jubilee which had been achieved by the stability of the long serving Management of Reg Rowbottom Chairman 17 years, Colin Handforth Treasurer 15 years and Dougie Eastwood Secretary and Fixture Secretary 10 years and Dave Wright Fixture Secretary 20 years. Founder members present on the night were J Berry, J Salisbury, G Cox, A Tattersfield and D Hird BEM.

In 2002 the Yorkshire Juniors Delegates made a decision that would rock the Amateur game by refusing to continue with B.A.R.L.A and run the Yorkshire Junior League on their own. Over the years since that decision, the dedicated and hard working Management Committee led by Denise Waite Chairperson, Colin Handforth Treasurer (and Constitution Guru) and Charlie Bray General Secretary along with the many long and recently new serving Committee members over the years have gone from strength to strength by always looking to improve the standard of the League for the good of Junior Rugby.  We are now in the process of submitting our documents to hopefully achieve the Sport England "Leaguemark" which is an accreditation that shows the Leagues administration is of the highest standard.  

We owe all the people who have ever worked on or with the Yorkshire Junior League a great debt of gratitude for their loyal and devoted service.

Our thanks go to our main sponsors Trevor Rodwell of FAM soft drinks for there sponsorship and support over the last 35 years.