A KEIGHLEY woman who has helped smash preconceptions about gender and race is supporting a school as it sets-up its first girls-only rugby league team.

Saima Hussain, the country’s first Asian female rugby league player, is working with pupils at Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College in Bradford.

It hopes to be competing in national competitions in September.

A large number of the school’s pupils are Asian, and with Asian and Muslim females often being under-represented in sports, staff decided to bring in Saima for inspiration.

Along with Keighley Cougars coach Paul March, the pupils have come out of their comfort zone and got involved in the world of rugby.

Saima, a sport development officer for the Bradford Youth Development Partnership, used to play for the Keighley Cats, as well as representing Yorkshire and England. In doing so she became the first Muslim woman to have such a role.

Saima, 35, now encourages positive attitudes towards sport through sharing her own story about coming to rugby aged nine, and has been committed to raising the profile of women’s rugby league and encouraging more women, including Asian women, to become involved.

Last month she won the Sports Award at the Bradford Inspirational Women Awards ceremony for her years of work.

Despite the year seven pupils at Laisterdyke having only been introduced to the sport in January, the school already has enough enthusiastic pupils to start a team. Staff hope they will be competing with other schools by the start of the new academic year.

Lee Allington, faculty leader head of PE, said the response from the students had exceeded all their expectations.

“Our aim is to change perceptions and show people how girls can contribute to this sport," he said.

"Our pupils have been very enthusiastic, especially meeting the role model Saima.”

He said the majority of the girls in the team are Asian, and he is delighted that so many pupils have signed up.

"Loads of pupils wanted to do it – so many that we will actually have to start whittling down the numbers to make a team," he added.

"There has been a much better response than I had ever thought we’d get."

Plans are already underway to create girls teams at other schools, and Mr Allington is looking forward to when Laisterdyke’s girls can play other local teams.