New Gold Coast development officers

[DIEHARD]

From teaching kids who?d never held an oblong ball to being among hardened rugby league fanatics, Simon Hancox is truly worlds apart from 12 months ago.

The new ARL Development Officer for the Gold Coast, Hancox carries an impressive resume of fostering participation in a wide spectrum of activities.

Only recently returned from the United Kingdom, the 26-year-old has worked in wheelchair sports, soccer and of course, rugby league.

A Port Macquarie junior, Hancox boasts a degree in Human Movement, majoring in Sports Development.

His passion is two-fold. While he enjoys contributing to the growth of sporting organisations, he also delights in offering opportunities to youngsters who may otherwise not receive them.

When he first started out with the New South Wales Wheelchair Sports Association, Simon?s main focus was on helping ability-impaired athletes prepare for the Paralympics.

Yet after traveling abroad, his area of concentration switched largely from performance to participation.

First he worked with the London Skolars as a community development officer, then at Fulham Football Club he was charged with running programs for disabled children.

While Fulham are well-known as the Premier League club owned by Mohammad Al Fayed, the Skolars rugby league club enjoys a lesser profile.

This, as Hancox explains, gave him a strong grounding in teaching the basics of the game.

?Being an Aussie going to the UK, I was stunned that some kids hadn?t seen a rugby-shaped ball, let alone known how to play the game,? he says.

?They are so into their soccer that I had to spend weeks trying to teach the concept of running forwards and passing backwards.

?Some had seen a bit of gridiron and would throw the ball overhead, but a lot of kids even 13 and 14 couldn?t get to a point of understanding it.?

While Hancox thinks it unlikely he will face the same problems on the Gold Coast, he is still prepared to do the groundwork to help league prosper.

With Renee Cohen soon to be placed as an extra ARL Development Officer with the Gold Coast Titans, duties will be split into the northern and southern areas of the Gold Coast.

Hancox foresees special attention being given to Beenleigh, an area which is placed precariously on the boundary of Southern and South East Division.

Aside from this he aims to continue the inroads made on the Hinterland and consolidate the strong interest along the coastal regions.

?There?s a big buzz about the place and I?m happy to be a part of it,? says Hancox.

Hancox takes the position of Gavin Judd, who has joined the Gold Coast Titans development team.

Source: http://www.QRL.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Simon Hancox sounds like a gem. Glad to have his experience and love of helping people and of rugby league and sport itself.

Well Gavin Judd moves onto the Titans and we welcome Renee Cohen and Simon Hancox to the family. Not only will they foster future players and fans but they will help fight off rival codes in the critical youth age groups. So we can give our game a good chance of reaching as many youngsters as possible, we want to give them all an opportunity to pick up a rugby ball.

I love reading about rugby league development, it is something I really love and I'm currently studying Sports Development myself.

[DeeGan]

Exciting news and a big welcome to the team from the forum!

DeeGan

[Queenslander]

All of our future players have to start somewhere and if the these development officers can help than they are nothing but benefits to Rugby League.

[lonegull]

great to see the titans supporting this you got to grow the grassroots first this way with the development officers least the kids are getting a chance and of course the titans have first crack at the local talent

[Hindyscrack]

Welcome back to the coast conan!