Cougars are set to join forces with their amateur neighbours as part of an initiative designed to increase youth participation in rugby league.

Keighley Albion Juniors, Keighley Cougar Cubs and West Craven Warriors are expected to join the scheme, run in association with Cougars’ community team.

The project aims to organise regular events, such as monthly training workshops, in a bid to develop better pathways for young talent in the area.

The first workshop will take place on Saturday morning at Cougar Park (six to ten-year-olds from 10am-11am and 12 to 18-year-olds from 11am to noon) and Cougars player-coach Jason Demetriou is delighted with the initiative.

He said: “It’s really important that we have communication with the junior clubs and help them to get players down there playing for them.

“They are the players who will come through our pathway systems so we have to work closely with them to nurture the talent.

“As an amateur club, if you are producing talent that’s going on to play semi-professional or professional, that’s going to make players want to play for your club.

“The clubs are proud of that and you see pictures of players who have gone on to play professionally on the walls of most amateur clubs. That’s a tradition we want to continue.”

Cougars have reaped the rewards from strong youth pathways in recent years, with a host of local players now featuring in Demetriou’s team.

“I’ve been really imp-ressed with our young local talent,” said Deme-triou.

“They are all local kids doing really well and we still have three or four in the reserves who could soon come through as well.

“The likes of James Haythornthwaite, Ben Sagar and James Hutch-nson are important to the future of the club.”