Last updated at 12:43, Wednesday, 30 September 2009

Whitehaven plan to power ahead in the pre-season – with help from a new fitness and strength conditioner.

Gary Hewer: ‘Credit must go to Egremont’

The club has advertised for a qualified conditioner to start work with the squad in November as they launch preparations for the 2010 campaign.

“The conditioner will work with our young scholarship players and reserve-grade, as well as the elite first-team players,” said head of performance Gary Hewer.

“As a professional club, we have a duty of care to develop players to their potential, and this appointment is part of that.

“It’s an investment that will reap its rewards, developing our assets for the future. And it’s also part of the Super League franchise criteria.”

Coach Ged Stokes has been heavily involved in this area during his two seasons at the club but feels it’s time for a qualified professional to take over.

“We’ve done okay but it has been quite arduous,” he said. “We are at the first stage of where the team needs to be in this area. Now we need to take the next step.

“I’m a great believer that you can’t get back a pre-season, and we have to work very hard at that time, when clubs that are maybe bigger and spent more money, aren’t.

“This is a very important appointment, I can’t stress that enough. It will bear fruit, especially with the young guys. We have extended our search fairly wide, and the more professional we get in this area the better.”

Haven are also advertising for a reserve team physio, to replace the departing Ian Hazelwood.

Hewer said: “Ian has given us five years loyal service, working in the background, and looking after the players, alongside Laura Hocking. We’d like to thank him for that. He has now left the club to travel.”

First published at 11:33, Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk