BARROW Raiders coach Paul Crarey found it hard to hide his delight after the first three sessions of the Super Lotto Development Programme attracted around 110 youngsters to Craven Park.

Crarey was expecting just a handful to turn up to the first session of the exciting Junior rugby league project aimed at producing Barrow Raiders players of the future.

However about 50 children in the under-11s and under-12s section turned up at the ground when the project was  unveiled on Monday night.

Crarey, assisted by 17 coaches, put the youngsters at ease with a quick chat before  getting them to go  through their paces in the skills programme.

He described the first session as 'outstanding', and added: "We were a bit worried, we thought we would be working with 10 kids but we've got 50 for one age group which is amazing really.

"It is going to take off.

"The kids are absolutely loving it, the feedback from the parents has been absolutely brilliant. 

"Top coaches in the area are getting involved so it's fantastic."

The  opening night continued with  under-13s and under-14s players  with the  under-16s session, which drew 28 teenagers,  took  place  two days later. 

The 10-week course at Craven Park is free and open to any youngsters in those age groups, with the idea of providing a pathway to the Barrow first team and halting the current trend of talented youngsters heading to other professional clubs.

The eventual aim is to establish an Academy set-up at Craven Park. And although that is some time off, Raiders boss and former BARLA Great Britain head coach  Crarey is excited about the project, which will see former Barrow player and highly-rated coach Darren Carter running the programme.

Crarey, who will eventually take a back seat because of his commitment with the Raiders first team, said  the younger age groups will undergo a skills programme and  the under-16s game would be  based on the same structure as first team.

He said at the first session: "We have been doing a skills programme, it's about catch and pass a little bit of small sided games, going from attack into defence.

"It gets the kids thinking and playing quick. They are only six minute drills, it is all muscle memory.

"We don't want to talk to the kids for ages it is about sending them out and letting them express themselves a little bit with the ball.

"We have got seven stations of six minutes and we have  got a little home circuit where we are looking kids to put themselves forward to lead the group."

He added:  "It has been a long time in planning and it won't work without the people. 

"I take my hat off and thank all the coaches who turned up, ex-professionals and all the top local amateur coaches wanting to get involved. 

"I am just happy that everybody has got behind it and it will definitely grow and people can take notice of what we are doing.

"We definitely want to set up our own academy or under-20s or under-23s  whatever it may be in the next 12 months or two years.

"It has been a long time in planning and it won't work without the people. I take my hat off and thank all the coaches who turned up, ex-professionals and all the top local amateur coaches wanting to get involved. 

"I am just happy that everybody has got behind it and it will definitely grow and people can take notice of what we are doing. 

"We definitely want to set up our own academy or under-20s or under-23s,  whatever it may be, in the next 12 months or two years.

"That is what we are aiming and people can't ignore what we are trying to do."

"What we want is the dream to be Barrow Raiders and them to get a job in BAE or anywhere and for them to play rugby for 10 years for Barrow Raiders and they will enjoy doing that as well."

 Mike Whitehead and  Phil Atkinson are among a number of players who  have linked up with Carter to assist in the project.

One enthusiastic youngster, Bryce Livington, 11, who plays for Barrow Island under-12s, said after the first session: "It went well it was a really experience to develop our skills."

Nick Roberts, a coach at Barrow Island, whose son Matthew  another Barrow Island under-12s player - was taking part in the first session said of the project: "It's a good idea. "He's enjoying it looking out there." 

Crarey thanked the coaches, Raiders directors Andy Gaffney and Paul Ballantyne, and Jo Gaffney and Yvonne Sunderland for their help on the day.