Coventry Bears will again be entering a team into the RFL Conference League South (CLS) in 2016, the highest level of Rugby League competition available outside the professional ranks in the central and south of England.
The CLS competition proved to be a real breeding ground for professional players last year for the Bears, with close to 10 players making first team debuts after impressing in this environment.
Head Coach Tom Tsang commented, "Last season we had a number of young local players cut their teeth in the CLS competition and eventually break through into the League One side. It provides a great opportunity for ambitious players to train with more experienced guys and learn their trade and understand what it takes to be a professional RL player."
Also competing in the CLS will be:
- Nottingham Outlaws
- West Wales Raiders
- Leicester Storm
- London Chargers
- All Gold's CLS
- Torfaen Tigers
- Valley Cougars
A registration night will be held for prospective players on Friday 8th January at 7.30pm in the main bar of Coventry Rugby Club, Butts Park Arena.
"We view this as a major part of our pathway to professional RL." added Tsang, "We are developing a very good environment and culture at the club with top facilities for training and playing."
"We want to keep building for the future and to do that we need to keep developing local, midlands based players and I want aspiring RL players in Coventry and the surrounding counties to see the Bears as a genuinely attainable opportunity to play professionally."