SIR KEVIN Sinfield has already made his mark on one college after opening its new sports hall and strength and conditioning gym.
And the facility at Ashton Sixth Form can impact the wider community as it can be hired.
After what some staff described as a ’16-year story,’ the doors of the building are open and the father of former students Jack and Sam was delighted to cut the ribbon.
Ahead of embarking on his latest physical challenge to raise fund for and awareness of motor neurone disease charities, Sir Kevin said: “My connection with this place probably goes back and it just so happens my sister’s son, my nephew, has just enrolled here.
“Both my boys came through here, had great times, great experiences and when vice-principal Sheridan Lewis reached out to ask if I’d come and be present, he grabbed me straight away when he said, ‘It’s a new sports facility and it creates opportunity for young people.’
“If you want to get me anywhere, build a new sports facility, give opportunities for young people because that’s what it’s all about.
“Hopefully it gets used a lot. “
Rugby league legend Sir Kevin, who is now skills and kicking coach for England’s rugby union team, took time out of an increasingly busy schedule to hear the stories of Ashton Sixth Form College’s sporting stars among its 2,300 students.
Many of them will use the facilities, particularly the state of the art gym, the building boasts.
And for principal Lisa Richards, its opening ends and often-asked question from sports and PE staff – when are we getting an upgrade?
She said: “What we’ve got here is absolutely amazing. To me, it’s more of a blessing that we have the site that we have.
“But it’s been great to be personally involved. This has been the first build that I’ve been really heavily involved with as principal of the college.
“This one’s been a long time coming, it’s fair to say. As our sites developed, I’d say our sports facilities got a little bit left behind, and dare I say, a little bit shabby.
“It would be an annual question from the sports department, when are we getting our upgrade? And when are we getting a gym?
“We’d always say, ‘It’s coming, soon,’ but I think it’s been about 10, 15 years.”
As well as the new sporting facilities, the building contains extra classrooms, meaning the college is better equipped to handle its growing pupil numbers.
Lisa added: “The sports hall’s been retained, it’s had a little refurb and looks much, much better.
“But attached to it was a single-storey building with a couple of very unusable classrooms. What’s happened is we’ve knocked that down and gone up a further two storeys for a three-storey building.
“There’s something really lovely about having a site that evolves over time. And it’s never the same from one decade to the next.
“If I was still teaching, I would want one of those classrooms as my own. It’s got a fantastic new strength and conditioning suite, brand spanking new changing rooms for our students.
“Obviously, these facilities are used by our students, by our staff and also staff across Stamford Park Trust, but also our community as well, as it will be overseen by our lettings department.”