THE semi-professional local-based Hurricanes Rugby League has joined forces with the GC Foster College through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) focusing on training and eduction.

Hurricanes owner Dane Campbell noted that the signing of the MOU with the leading Jamaican sports education facility last Tuesday marked a “crucial step forward for the development of the Hurricanes Academy programme”.

“This will allow for these talented young players to not only have access to first-class facilities but also gain further education in the game of rugby league,” said Campbell.

Apart from GC Foster College becoming the official training and education facility for the Hurricanes Academy, players will have use of the tertiary institution’s weights room, physiotherapy and swimming pool for recovery purposes.

The MOU also involves offers of scholarships to elite performing members of the Hurricanes Academy to GC Foster once they have graduated from high school.

They will also work on a curriculum for match officials and coaches, who will share that overall understanding of the game to local communities around GC Foster College as well as to Greater St Catherine, Kingston, St Andrew and Clarendon.

“Through the Hurricanes Academy we are trying to promote a holistic approach to players development, which includes physical and mental preparation for training and games and off-field education such as coaching techniques, nutrition information, recovery methods, drug and alcohol awareness, public speaking and becoming a role model amongst other things,” added Campbell.

In recognition of their partnership, the Hurricanes Academy training and playing uniforms will adorned with the GC Foster College logo.