The University of Hull’s Rugby League Performance, Education & Community Hub, Hull FC’s brand new training base, will officially open today – a landmark moment for the club and the sport in the city.
First announced in July 2022, the £1.5 million project, which has received financial support from Hull City Council, the RLWC2021 ‘Created By’ programme, Sport England and the Hull FC Community Foundation, has created a new home for the club’s various teams, while also further enhancing the University’s first-class sports provisions and acting as a new hub for the city’s community rugby league activity.
The hub, which ensures the Black & Whites have a long-term base in the city, is set to unite Hull FCs rugby pathways from first-team to grassroots for the first time, with the club’s blossoming Centre of Excellence based at the facility, providing an unrivaled playing, training and education experience for hundreds of young players as well as progression opportunities into higher education at the University.
It will offer enormous benefits not only to Hull FC and the University, but also the wider community, by creating an inclusive, high-quality provision to increase engagement and participation in rugby-related team sport coaching, community and education, regardless of background, age, disability or gender, with the ultimate aim of inspiring a legacy for rugby league in the city and increasing participation levels.
After being based at the University for the past two years, the completion of the new facility means the club will continue to benefit from international-standard sports facilities at the campus, which is also an official partner of Team GB, as well a regional base for the Football Association and Super League netball – the very best facility of its kind on offer across the region.
The hub includes changing facilities, medical rooms, a video analysis suite and a clubhouse for players and spectators, and will also be used for match days outside of the first-team squad, including academy, women’s and University teams, as well as providing a facility for local rugby league teams.
In addition, a number of Hull FC Community Foundation initiatives will all benefit from the facility, including the club’s Wheelchair Rugby League side, who compete in their Wheelchair Super League matches at the Allam Sports Centre, LDRL and PDRL squads, and women and girls’ rugby league squads.
The facility has been delivered on campus at the University of Hull with a sustainable and fast-track building solution, by modular building supplier, Premier Modular.
The manufacturer, based in East Yorkshire, has provided a full-turnkey solution, delivering the building from in-house design, through offsite manufacture, to installation and fit-out of the building on site. Whilst the building was under manufacture in their factory, Premier Modular completed groundworks onsite, which included the installation of pile foundations to ensure the structural integrity of the building.
The facility will officially open today with the first team squad moving into the building this morning, while an official launch event will be held for the club’s corporate partners and sponsors, as well as members of the media, on Thursday morning.
Hull FC Director of Rugby, Richie Myler, said: “This is a significant milestone for our club – after years in the planning, we are delighted to see the University’s rugby league hub at completion, and we’re excited to see our players and staff move into the facility in the coming days.
“As has been evident with the changes and developments we have been making across the club in recent months, our entire organisation is striving to better itself from top to bottom, and calling this international standard facility our new training base, for hundreds of players from first-team level right down to our grassroots, is a major piece of the puzzle.
“We’re determined to see the hub help create a lasting legacy at the very heart of our local community and grassroots rugby league which epitomises the hallmarks of this club.
“We once again thank the key stakeholders involved in this project, including Hull City Council for their continued support, the Rugby League World Cup, and the University of Hull’s senior leadership team.”
Steve Curtis, Interim Director of Commercial Services at the University of Hull, said: “We’re extremely proud of our partnership with Hull FC and the tangible benefits it has already delivered both to our students and the wider community.
“The opening of the Hub will allow these to continue and expand even more. The Hub is a great addition to the University’s amazing sports facilities and we know it will benefit Rugby League at the University’s Sport Park and in the city.
“We look forward to seeing Hull FC using the facilities and we are really excited for the next month as we open fully. We would like to thank the Created By capital project for their support in helping make this fantastic facility a reality.”
Premier Modular Divisional Director Mark Rooney, said: “The precise logistical delivery and seamless integration of this building exemplifies the skill and dedication of our teams on this project. It goes to demonstrate the meticulous detail that modular construction facilitates and is now getting recognised for its high quality and technical precision.
“We’re proud to deliver this new facility, in support of the performance and education of the Hull FC and University sports community.”
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