Today we captured something seriously special, our youngest and oldest Crusaders standing side by side, proudly showing off our brand‑new kit. Moments like this show exactly who we are: one team, one family, growing together from our tiniest Cubs all the way through to our Masters. We’re incredibly proud to offer rugby league across these age groups: 🔹 Cubs (2–4 yrs) 🔹 Cubs (4–6 yrs) 🔹 Under 8s 🔹 Under 10s 🔹 Under 12s 🔹 Under 14s 🔹 Under 16s 🔹 Masters A massive shout‑out to the sponsors who helped bring this fresh new kit to life: 🌳 Emmels Tree and Garden Services 🎨 eCreative Designs UK 👂 Specsavers Hearing Centre Harrogate 🪵 Fusion Joinery We can’t wait to share more photos of all our teams looking sharp, confident, and ready for the season ahead. The future is bright for the Crusaders. #OneTeam #NewKit #LetsGoCrusaders

Catterick Crusaders Masters are looking for sponsorship for their home games this season. Catterick Crusaders Masters embodies that true masters spirit, and this season, they’re opening the door for supporters and local businesses to become part of their journey in a meaningful way. The Crusaders Masters side continues to build momentum, attracting players, supporters, and families who share a love for rugby league. As the club grows, so does its impact—bringing people together, encouraging active lifestyles, and strengthening community ties across Catterick and beyond. Sponsorship That Makes a Real Difference This year, the Crusaders are offering two accessible sponsorship opportunities designed to give individuals and businesses a chance to get involved: 🏅 Man of the Match Sponsorship – £60 per game A brilliant option for those who want to be front and centre on match day. Sponsors receive: • Recognition during the game • The honour of presenting the Man of the Match award • A social media shout‑out • Fantastic local exposure 🏉 Match Ball Sponsorship – £60 per game Perfect for supporters who want to contribute directly to the match experience. Sponsors enjoy: • Acknowledgement before kick‑off • A dedicated social media mention • The satisfaction of supporting grassroots rugby 🔥 Special Offer: Any 3 Games for £150 Mix and match Man of the Match and Match Ball sponsorships to suit your goals. It’s a great way to maximise visibility while supporting the club across multiple fixtures. Why Your Support Matters Grassroots clubs thrive on community backing. Every sponsorship helps the Crusaders: • Develop players of all ages and abilities • Strengthen their presence in the local area • Continue offering a welcoming, inclusive environment • Build a sustainable future for rugby league in the region Whether you’re a business looking to boost your profile or an individual wanting to show your support, your involvement genuinely makes a difference. If you’ve ever wanted to support a local team in a way that’s visible, meaningful, and appreciated, now’s the time. The Crusaders Masters are ready to welcome new sponsors into the fold. To sponsor the Masters team or learn more, simply reach out at: Info.crusadersrlfc@gmail.com

The U12s kicked off their session with a lively warm-up focused on movement and agility. Using an L-shaped running pattern, the players worked on accelerating, decelerating, and changing direction sharply, an important foundation for match situations where quick reactions are key. The main focus of the session was catching skills, starting with the high ball. To help develop proper technique, players tucked cones under their armpits to encourage keeping their elbows in and forming a strong “triangle” shape with their arms. This helped reinforce safe and effective catching. Once the basics were in place, the cones were removed and the players put their skills into practice, this time under some… let’s say interesting kicking from the coaches! Next up was dealing with grubber kicks. The players concentrated on watching the bounce of the ball closely and getting their body into the correct position to gather it cleanly. There was great effort shown here, with players becoming more confident reading those tricky bounces. For the final catching drill, the team split into groups of four. The focus was on early catching technique, arms out in front, keeping the ball off from the body followed by a quick pop pass left and right. Once the coaches were happy with the execution, it was time to turn up the competition. Each group raced to complete 20 passes without dropping the ball. There were some questionable counting methods from the players this time, but plenty of enthusiasm and teamwork on display! To finish the session, the team played a fun and fast-paced game of 2-ball touch. With uneven numbers, Coach Daryl stepped in to even things up… but unfortunately had to step back out after picking up a cut on his eyebrow. He’s already come up with a much more heroic story to explain his new scar to his friends, because it definitely wasn’t caused by an U12! A great session all around, full of energy, learning, and plenty of laughs. Well done U12's

The Catterick Crusaders Under 8s had another fantastic and energetic training session this week, with a strong focus on agility, footwork, and decision-making. We kicked things off with a dynamic warm-up centred around agility. Players worked their way over hurdles before moving quickly through a speed ladder, placing each foot accurately and finishing with sharp side-to-side steps. As the session progressed, we added the ball into the drills, helping the players grow in confidence while moving and protecting possession from an opponent. Next, the team split into pairs to develop their attacking footwork. The focus was on taking on defenders by stepping inside, then pushing off the outside foot to drive back infield. This helped the players understand how to change direction effectively and keep defenders guessing. Building on that, we moved into 2v1 situations where players were encouraged to make decisions under pressure—whether to pass to a teammate or back their footwork to beat the defender. It was great to see growing confidence and some excellent choices being made. To finish, we brought everything together in a conditioned game. Players were rewarded with extra points for successfully applying the skills we had practised, particularly effective passing and using footwork to break through the defence. This added a fun competitive edge while reinforcing the session’s key learning points. Overall, it was a brilliant session with great effort, enthusiasm, and development from all players. Well done, Crusaders!

It was another brilliant session for the Catterick Crusaders U10’s this week, with players showing fantastic energy, focus, and teamwork from start to finish. The Mini Crusaders began by linking up with the U8’s for a combined warm-up, creating a great atmosphere and giving players the chance to learn alongside each other. The session centred around agility-based activities, helping to develop footwork, coordination, and movement skills in a fun and engaging way. Coaches also placed a strong emphasis on correct ball carry, reinforcing good habits early and helping players grow in confidence when on the move. Following the warm-up, the U10’s broke away into their own group to build on more advanced elements of their game. Passing was the key focus, with players working hard to improve their accuracy, timing, and communication with teammates. A major coaching point throughout was the importance of playing forward, encouraging players to attack with intent and maintain momentum when moving the ball. It was particularly pleasing to see how well the players supported one another, calling for passes, working as a team, and putting their learning into practice during the drills. The improvement week on week is clear, with confidence growing across the squad. Sessions like this are a great reminder of what the Crusaders are all about developing skills, building teamwork, and, most importantly, enjoying the game. Well done to all involved, keep up the great work, Crusaders!

On Saturday our Cubs session was all about developing our locomotion skills, with a big focus on chasing and evading and, most importantly, having fun while doing it! We kicked things off with some light-hearted movement work using hurdles and agility ladders. The aim wasn’t to run a high-level SAQ session, but simply to get the Cubs moving, exploring different ways of travelling, and building confidence in their footwork through play. From there, we moved into our first chase-and-evade game: Stinky Bib ! This quickly became a favourite, with plenty of laughter across the group. The Cubs holding the “Stinky Bib” had the task of chasing others and trying to wipe it onto someone without a bib. Once successful, they handed it over and the chase continued no tig backs allowed! The constant movement and quick changes of direction really brought out some brilliant evasion skills. Next up was Cops and Robbers . The Cops, armed with a ball, worked together to chase down the Robbers. If tagged, the Robbers were sent to jail, but there was always a chance of escape if a Cop dropped the ball, the coach would shout “Jailbreak!” and everyone was back in play. Once everyone had a turn as a Cop, we added an extra challenge by introducing a third ball. To make things even more interesting, if a Cop made a tag, they then had to run back to the coach and complete a rugby pass before rejoining the chase. This added an extra layer of skill and teamwork, while keeping the energy levels high. It was fantastic to see so much enthusiasm, teamwork, and improvement throughout the session. Most importantly, the Cubs had a great time while developing key movement skills that will support their rugby journey. Well done, Cubs!

On Saturday a contingent of 11 Crusaders Masters, helped to make up a combined team with North East Thunder, to travel to Arlecdon in West Cumbria. The purpose of the day was to dust off those boots and launch Masters Rugby League for the 2026 season. Despite the sizeable journey everyone arrived in good order and after an obligatory look at impressive amount of artifacts inside the Arlecdon Rams club house, it was off to get ready for our first game, which was against Barrow Masters. However before a ball was passed in the Spirit of Masters our first candidate for Masters Comedy Moment came for Darren. Who, having left the changing room some 15 minutes earlier, suddenly realised he’d forgotten to put his shorts on! For those now mentally scarred by that image we can assure you all, that intimate body parts were secure in his Under Armour, he just neglected to put his Master’s red shorts on top! Crusaders have been working on some structure in training and after a settling in period, the things we had been working on started to work. The team were much more controlled and made good yardage, our completion rate was also massively up. Defensively we struggled at times with the Gold Shorters with Tags, and we had to concede giving one of them Master of the Match, we actually wanted to give it to his tailor who did mighty fine job sowing them on, but Barrow wouldn’t reveal his details!!!! The Barrow game also revealed another Master’s Comedy moment. After a decent return set from within our own half Ladel Foot Longden shaped himself up for the kick on the 5th! Head down, leg following through, BANG ….. and the ball sailed out on the full, over the outer fence, straight over road and eventually came to rest on a building site! Awesome! Our next game immediately followed against Carlisle. This time our structure wasn’t as rigid which worked well in attack but had us back pedalling on a couple of occasions in defence. There was much more flow to our attacking game in this one and we spread the ball well and had some good combinations going on. One combination that paid dividends was when, Scotland Masters Head Coach, Ian, popped out from dummy half and ran at a gap to offload to his Scotland Masters Captain, Grant (guesting from Arlecdon), who took the ball the rest of the way for a try. There is slightly more to the superb try, but we didn’t want to encourage any more poetic licence than it’s already had. It’s gone from evading 1 tackler to 6 and a 20m run to almost 65! We’ll let it rest. A mighty fine plate of sausage and chips was provided as a refuel by the brilliant Arlecdon staff. Arlecdon had a trophy for each individual team’s Master of the Match. Ours went to Ben, very well deserved. After the awards the raffle proved fruitful for Ladel Foot who bagged himself a free Mothers Day present, oops, we mean a bottle of Prosecco, sorry Longers! Congratulations to our debutants, Mike, Ally and Domo who also pick up there heritage numbers. Finally, the Breakfast Crew turned into the Curry Club for this one, due to the AGM. 7 of us descended on Amantola in Richmond on our return for a very nice spread! Crusaders Masters would like to thank our shirt sponsors Marstons, our polo sponsors Burties Hair Design, eCreative, Lighthouse Risk Management, iSecure Group and Top Third. We’d also like to thank our training apparel sponsors. The Hildyard Arms, 4 aces, Richie McGrath pre-training and breaking, JDN First Aid and AA First.

After several weeks of training the eagerly anticipated Masters Launch Festivals get underway around the UK. As has been the norm for previous seasons, Catterick Crusaders Masters are teaming up with North East Thunder Masters for the festival. The team will be taking a trip over to picturesque Arlecdon in Cumbria for their festival. Making their debut as Crusaders registered players are Ally Dewar, Mike Day and Autiko Domo, and they will earn their heritage numbers. Whilst regular guest Andy Shute from UKAF Masters also joins us for the fun. The North East Thunder Masters contingent consists of Barry Sharrock and Alex Cooke-Smith, whilst Jason Grant MBE, Paul Goad, Gareth Smith, Ben Smith, James Tyreman, John Longden, Darren Cunnington and Ian McKechnie from Crusaders complete the line up. The team have kindly been given the last two games of the day. First up is our friends from Barrow, who we meet for two none festival fixtures later in the season. That game is immediately followed by a run out against Carlisle. Crusaders Masters are always looking for new players to join the team. If you’re interested please get in touch.

Our Cubs had another brilliant session this week, packed with fun, movement, and early rugby foundations. At this age, our focus is always on creating an enjoyable, confidence‑building environment while developing each child’s Stability, Object Control, and Locomotion skills (SOL), the building blocks for all future sport. Every player had their own ball throughout the session, helping them practise their best grip and build familiarity while playing our games. 🚦 2–4 Year Olds: Fun, Movement & Early Skills The youngest Cubs kicked off with our ever‑popular Traffic Lights warm‑up: • Red – stop • Yellow – an exercise on the spot • Green – run around and explore the space Once warmed up, it was time for Balance the Bean Bag. Starting still with the bean bag on their head, the players progressed to walking and then running brilliant for balance, coordination, and body control. Next came Score a Try on the Dot, where players ran around and then dashed to the coloured dot called out by the coach before continuing their run. This helps with listening skills, reaction time, and directional movement. The session finished with a firm favourite: Bean Bag Tag. Players ran around avoiding bean bags gently thrown by the coach. If tagged, they gave a high‑five to their grown‑up before rejoining the game. It’s simple, safe, and always a huge hit! 🏉 4–6 Year Olds: Same Fun, Extra Challenge The older Cubs followed the same session structure but with an added layer of ball‑handling development. Instead of simply holding the ball securely, they responded to: • “Ball up” – ball at the 12 o’clock position • “Ball down” – ball at the 6 o’clock position • “Swing the ball” – swinging the ball in the 6 o’clock position These cues help build early mechanics that will eventually lead into confident, accurate passing. The group handled the challenge brilliantly and showed great focus while still having loads of fun. 🌟 A Brilliant Session All Round We had fantastic numbers this week and even more fantastic smiles. The Cubs showed great enthusiasm, listened well, and threw themselves into every activity. Watching their confidence grow each week is a real joy. 👋 We’re Always Looking for New Superstars If you have a little one aged 2–6 who loves to run, play, explore, and have fun, we’d love to welcome them to the Catterick Crusaders Cubs. It’s a brilliant way to build confidence, coordination, and friendships and we promise plenty of laughter along the way.

Our Under 12s delivered another brilliant session this week, with the focus firmly on building tackle confidence and sharpening safe, effective technique. The energy was high from the very start, and the players threw themselves into every challenge with determination and maturity. ⚡ High-Intensity Warm-Up The session opened with what Neil jokingly called a “military training” warm‑up — and it certainly lived up to the name. The players worked through: • Acceleration drills • Deceleration and controlled stopping • Plyometric movements These exercises fired up their muscles, improved reaction speed, and prepared them for the contact work ahead. 🐻 Contact Preparation: Super Bear Crawl Before moving into full tackling, the group completed a super bear crawl contact warm‑up. This helped them get comfortable with low body positions, engage their core, and switch into a physical, focused mindset. 💥 Tackling Technique & Confidence The main part of the session centred on developing safe, confident tackling. The players worked on: • Staying low and breaking at the hips • Correct foot placement for balance • Strong shoulder contact • Safe head position — cheek to cheek As confidence grew, the group moved onto the tackle mat, combining all the technical points into a controlled drill. The improvement was clear to see — excellent technique, strong focus, and a real willingness to learn. 🏉 Finishing With a Tactical Touch Game To round things off, the players took part in a game of touch with specific tactical goals: • Defenders held a straight defensive line, moving up together • Attackers worked on finding and exploiting space • The previous tackler had to retreat to their try line, naturally creating gaps This allowed the group to apply their defensive and attacking principles in a game-like situation, reinforcing teamwork, communication, and decision‑making. 💪 A Fantastic Session From a Committed Group The effort, attitude, and improvement across the board were outstanding. Every player pushed themselves, supported their teammates, and showed real growth in both confidence and technique. We’re incredibly proud of this group and excited to see how they continue to develop over the coming weeks. 👋 New Players Are Always Welcome If your child is interested in joining the Catterick Crusaders family, we’d love to welcome them. Whether they’re brand new to rugby or looking to build on existing skills, our coaches and players create a supportive, fun, and confidence‑building environment for everyone.

This week our Under 8s and Under 10s focused on one of the most important foundations of rugby: defence. The coaches built the session step‑by‑step to help the players understand positioning, teamwork, and discipline, all while keeping it fun and full of energy. 🔥 Warming Up With Bulldog We kicked things off with a lively game of Bulldog. This wasn’t just to get the players moving, it also helped the coaches see how quickly the children reacted to the call of “bulldog” and how they adjusted their movement under pressure. The players loved it, and it set the tone for a high‑energy session. ✋ Two‑Hand Touch & Defensive Thinking The game then progressed into two‑hand touch, encouraging the players to start thinking about where they should be in defence. This helped them understand spacing and how to track an attacker without overcommitting. 🤝 Hunting in Pairs Next, the players worked in pairs, holding hands and moving together. This simple activity encouraged communication, teamwork, and staying connected. Which is key skills for maintaining a strong defensive line. 🎽 Tag Belts & Free Play Tag belts were introduced next, and the players were given five minutes of free play with no coaching input. This allowed them to play naturally, make decisions on their own, and show what they understood without prompts. 🟦 Channel Defence The pitch was then divided into narrow channels, each no wider than five metres. Two defenders were placed in each channel and had to stay within their zone, while attackers could move freely. This exercise helped the players learn: • Discipline — staying in their area • Awareness — trusting teammates to cover their own channels • Shape — avoiding the common habit of chasing the ball and leaving gaps 🏉 Finishing Strong We wrapped up with a conditioned tag game, reinforcing everything learned: staying in shape, holding the line, and working together. 🌟 A Huge Well Done to All Players Every single player showed brilliant enthusiasm and effort. They listened well, answered questions confidently, and showed real determination throughout the session. We’re incredibly proud of how they’re developing, and we can’t wait to see how much they grow over the next few weeks. 👋 Want to Get Involved? If your child is interested in joining the Catterick Crusaders family, please get in touch. We’d love to welcome new players and help them build confidence, skills, and friendships through rugby.

The wait is over… we’re proud to unveil the brand-new playing kit for Catterick Crusaders RLFC ! 💙🏉 This season’s shirt represents more than just a fresh design — it showcases the fantastic local businesses backing our club every step of the way. 👕 Supplied by the Best A huge thank you to Pronto Teamwear , our official kit supplier, for delivering a high-quality, performance-ready strip that our players will wear with pride. The new kit combines comfort, durability, and a sharp look that truly reflects the spirit of the Crusaders. Our new club shop will be up and running in the next couple of weeks. ⭐ Our Main Shirt Sponsor Taking pride of place on the front of the shirt is Fusion Joinery , our main sponsor for the season. Their support plays a massive role in helping the club grow, develop talent, and continue providing opportunities for players across all age groups. We’re incredibly grateful to have them leading the way on our 2026 kit. 👀 Backing Us All the Way Featured on the back of the shirt are Specsavers & Hearing Centre Harrogate , whose continued community support helps keep grassroots sport thriving. We’re proud to carry their name as we compete throughout the season. 💪 Supporting on the Sleeves Our sleeves are backed by two fantastic local businesses: Left Arm Sponsor: Emmels Tree and Garden Services Right Arm Sponsor: eCreative Designs UK Both companies are passionate supporters of local sport, and their sponsorship helps ensure our teams step onto the pitch looking professional and united. This shirt isn’t just about a new design — it’s about partnership, community, and ambition. Every logo represents a business investing in local rugby league and helping us build something special here at the Crusaders. We can’t wait to see our players pull on the new kit and represent our sponsors with pride throughout the season. We have further sponsorship opportunities available at Crusaders if you would like more information please email info.crusadersrlfc@gmail.com