St.Helens' Academy & Reserves Assistant Coach Gary Wheeler discusses the prep for the new season, as we edge ever closer to our youth teams returning to action!
The Saints are taking on Bradford Bulls at Blackbrook this coming Friday night, (28th February) in a friendly fixture ahead of the new campaign commencing.
Entry to this match is free, with kick-off scheduled for 7pm!
Remember that 2025 Saints Members will be able to see every Saints Academy match played at the Totally Wicked Stadium as part of their Membership! See all of our Under 18s Fixtures on our website by clicking here.
This article is taken from our E-Match Programme – Saints & Proud – from Saturday, 15th February 2025.
Gary, it’s your second year coaching with the Saints youth teams, how’s it been going for you?
I’m thoroughly enjoying it, something new for me and I get to learn again in a new type of role. I’m learning off Derek [Traynor] and he’s been here at Saints since I came through as a kid and probably even longer than that.
He knows everything there is to know in this field, and I’m enjoying learning from him, but I’m enjoying getting to work with the young lads. Seeing them progress like Harry Robertson in the past year, Owen [Dagnall], George [Whitby], it’s been so rewarding for me to see them kick on to what we hope will be long and successful careers.
Is it about making these young men better on and off the field?
Of course, that’s our job. It is to make these youngsters better players and hopefully give them a career as a Saints player. If not, hopefully we’ll prep them for a career in the sport elsewhere and give them the best opportunity.
How’s Pre-Season been?
It’s been really good, battled the weather a lot but we’ve been able to make it work in areas like the gym or wrestle room. They have really dug in to work hard as a squad, but also as individuals as well.
The care here at Saints is about development as a player, but also a young person too?
That’s the most important thing. The priority is the development of players to hopefully push into the First Team, to give them the best chance they can. We want to improve all our lads, outside of rugby too and we do our best helping them with educational work too.
However, we are the Saints, we desire silverware success at all levels. Will our Academy will be looking to go one better to secure the Academy title?
The player mentality in me initially wanted to win every single game, but the priority is still always the development of our players. We know what it means at this club, all results we would like to go our way and to win silverware. Our priority is the player as an individual, and seeing how we can help them progress.
