A RUGBY scheme which has seen professional players pass through the ranks is to open up again from next week.

Barrow Raiders' hugely-successful Junior Education Training Scheme (JETS) programme will make its return next week.

For the past six years, the scheme has successfully taken place at the Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium. 

JETS is a programme where head coach Paul Crarey and his team provide an invite to amateur coaches in the area to gain insight and benefit from their professional coaching expertise.

The first session will be a ‘coach the coaches’ session on Monday 20 June, which will be offered free of charge to 24 coaches in the area.

In the following weeks, the stadium will be opened up to all players aged 11-17 from the local area. There is no requirement for individuals to be attached to a local amateur club, and secondary schools are encouraged to send their pupils.

Three sessions for the youngsters will take place on Monday, July 4, Monday July 11 and Monday July 18. 

The evenings will be split into two sessions, with the first for those aged 11-15yrs from 6.00-7.00pm.

The second session, from 7.00-8.00pm, will be for 16-17-year-olds, and youngsters who have their eye on joining Furness Raiders are encouraged to attend.

The Furness Raiders squad will be selected over the summer in preparation for the winter college season.

Barrow Raiders are hoping that there is a clear pathway from the JETS programme to Furness Raiders and then to professional rugby league, hopefully for the Raiders. 

It is a path that has been followed in recent years by Ryan Johnston, Jake Carter, Adam Ford, Connor Terrill and Charlie Emslie in recent years, all of whom have successfully sampled first team professional rugby league.