A year of growth for the Saracens Women's Academy
The 23/24 season bought several milestones for the Saracens Women’s Academy.
First and foremost, the Academy welcomed its largest ever cohort, which saw for the first time not only Performance fixtures being played in the AOC, but also a series of successful friendless throughout the season, to cater for our expanding player base. Alongside this, our performance team also grew, as we welcomed current Saracens Women's Player and England U20s coach, Sarah McKenna, Tyler Yao as S&C Lead, and Max Asher as medical lead, further strengthening the ties with the senior set-up.
The growth of the Academy throughout the season could be seen through the quality of performances which were being produced especially towards the end of the season, which acted as a springboard into a successful 7s season, finishing 3rd at England Colleges and Rosslyn Park. The success of the Academy was further heightened through the number of players who achieved international honours, namely Maisy Herbert (Wales), Daisy D’Onofrio (Italy), Keira Muir (England), and Isabel Van der Straaten (England), who were part of the Centre of Excellence.
For what is becoming a new tradition for welcoming our next cohort of players, as well as celebrating our End of Season as an Academy, the group enjoyed some great hospitality at StoneX Stadium, as they watched the senior squad take on Sale Sharks. The end of the game saw our Academy players descend onto the pitch and strike up conversations, as well as secure numerous player selfies with the seniors, which was entertaining to say the least! Following the senior fixture, we were then able to head out onto the pitch for a training session with our perspective cohort, which allowed everyone to start to build connections and work alongside one and other in preparation for next season.
The day also allowed the Academy to celebrate and present two awards, players player and coaches player, awarded to Jess Taylor and Daisy D’Onofrio respectively. The group were also able to say goodbye to this year’s Academy graduates, who are all moving on to the next steps of their rugby journey, with many combining their rugby with university, apprenticeships, or the world of work. Notably, two graduates are moving into the Saracens senior training environment next season, with Keira Muir and Madison Lawrence making the step up. This showcases the exciting pathway which is available at Saracens. All those in the Academy would like to thank Charlie, Sophie W, Madison, Molly, Daisy, Lauren, Keira, Sasha, Sophie S. and Nicole for their efforts whilst part of the group. It is incredibly exciting to see what they will go onto to achieve next!
Looking ahead to the 24/25 season, there is so much to be excited about! Not only are we continuing to grow our Academy here at Saracen but there is also a new sports pavilion being built at Oaklands College, which is going to further bolster our performance facilities for players. We are also further expanding the provision of elite pathway resources, working alongside Saracens Foundation and Empower Her, to deliver a bespoke resource to our players.
Commenting on the growth of the Academy, and the prospects for next season, Pathway Lead Niamh McHugh said:
“It really has been a season of growth for us at the Academy, which I am really excited to see come to fruition over the upcoming seasons. The addition of a new cohort of aspiring Saracens players will only strengthen the current squad, and really push this Academy to new heights. Reflecting on this growth, the graduates of this Academy have been pivotal in driving this, and I cannot wait to see where their rugby journey goes as they move onto their next endeavours”.
