Hornets create community buzz

Miles Greenwood and student

Rochdale Hornets has been boosting the next generation of fans with visits to local colleges.

The club has started a push to encourage a younger audience to attend match days by holding meet and greets with first team players, showing off their extensive silverware and offering exclusive discounted tickets.

A junior elite training programme is being launched that will cover players from under-12s to under-16s, with the sessions held at Hopwood Hall College’s rugby facilities at their Middleton campus.

Hornets fullback Miles Greenwood attended one of the icebreaker visits to Hopwood Hall College and believes increasing relations with the younger generation will be crucial in stimulating future growth in the club’s fan base, he said: “The starting point for people’s interest in sport more often than not is your days as a kid or a young adult, so for me it is very important that the club invests time in people who fall into this age group.

“With the dominance of football in sport, the club is definitely heading in the right direction by trying to ensure we’re a pillar of the community in young people’s eyes. I am more than happy to be a part of that.”

Hornets next face Bradford Bulls in their second game of the Championship season.