Carlisle Rugby Club wish to extend a very warm welcome to Ross Cooke, who joins the club in the capacity of Youth Development Officer. This is a new post at the club and one which we anticipate will bring major benefits to the club and the wider community, which it serves.

Ross (28), pictured above with Club President Sue Glendinning and Director of Rugby Jimmy Goode, lives in Carlisle, but is originally from Lincoln where he first played rugby.
Ross went onto study Sport and Exercise at Gloucester University. He was Chairman of the University of Gloucestershire Men’s Rugby Union Club and was very successful at raising funds for the club. Following graduation, Ross moved to Maidstone in Kent as a rugby coach before heading north to Kelso Rugby Club, where he was Assistant Development Officer.

In 2018 he was appointed as Development Officer at Gala RFC, where he oversaw the whole junior programme from U5-U18 for boys and girls. This involved making long, medium- and short-term plans and targets to ensure growth of numbers and progression of quality of youth rugby in the town.
In order for these targets to be met Ross worked closely in the Secondary school in the town to deliver rugby PE lessons, and “School of Rugby” sessions, as well as liaising with Primary schools in the catchment area to deliver rugby sessions in PE. This strategy worked as numbers of rugby participants increased by 35% at the end of two seasons.

Ross’s successes at the club included;
• an increase in junior rugby numbers.
• development of 4 players that are in Scotland U17’s and 1 that is in Scotland U16’s (1 Prop, 1 Fly Half, 2 Centres, 1 Back Three)
• “Family Days” where all of Gala Youth rugby (U5-U18) come together to showcase Youth Rugby in the town
• as Head coach and organiser for U16’s, winning the Scottish School Plate in 2018-2019 season
• being able to attend CPD masterclasses with Gregor Townsend current Scotland Head Coach, and 7s masterclasses with John Dalziel the current Scotland Forwards Coach and former Scotland 7s Head Coach, to enhance specific parts of his coaching and knowledge base.
• prolonged mentorship from Rob Moffat, former Edinburgh, and Scotland A Head Coach.

Ross also plays wing/fullback for the National Polish Team with 10 caps to date, which he qualifies for through his maternal grandfather. He started all of their games in their successful 2021/2022 season where Poland got promoted to the Rugby European Championship, where they will now play the likes of Georgia, Spain and Portugal. Due to his connection to Polish rugby, he spent time as a Player/Coach/Video Analyst with Sparta Jarocin who are in the Polish Premiership.

Currently he plays his rugby in the UK at Tynedale RFC as a utility back.

Ross has worked with the Newcastle Rugby Foundation at Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club for the past year, delivering training sessions at holiday camps, and residential sessions across Cumbria, Northumberland, and Durham. He also coaches as part of the Newcastle Falcons Development Player Programme, for players with high potential between the ages of 13 and 16.

Carlisle RFC are very pleased to have appointed someone of Ross’s experience and ability, and look forward to him developing relationships across the education sector in N Cumbria, in order to spread the game in the area, with an aim to ultimately improve the quantity and skills of participants in youth rugby in this area.