Jodie Cunningham will take on the role of head of women's pathways & performance at St Helens while also captianing the women's side; watch every match of the 2024 Super League season, including men's, women's and wheelchair Grand Finals, live on Sky Sports
Thursday 11 January 2024 12:46, UK
St Helens have announced that women's captain Jodie Cunningham has taken on the role of head of women's pathways & performance at the club.
One of the leading figures in women's rugby league, Cunningham has been at the Saints since their women's team began in 2018, taking on the role of co-captain in 2019 before becoming sole captain in 2021.
During her time at the club, Cunningham has women the Women's Super League, League Leader's Shield and got to lead her side out at Wembley in their historic Challenge Cup win last year, their third in a row.
She has also been awarded the Woman Of Steel Award as the best player in the Betfred Women's Super League and captained her country.
Prior to taking on this role at her club, Cunningham has been working with the Rugby Football League for the past three years as the National Women's & Girls' Development Manager, strengthening pathways for player development.
Cunningham will continue as a player under Matty Smith but will now also work closer with him in her new role.
On taking up the role at St Helens she said: "It's an exciting new role, I think it just shows the growth of the women's game but also how seriously St Helens as a club are taking the women's game.
"To have somebody designated to look at the operations and the pathways specifically for the women and just pull everything together and make sure they're fully integrated into the club and the performance department as well. It's an exciting position and hopefully, I can do it justice!
"Hopefully being around the club more will give me a little bit more of a balance and being able to have access to Matty and help bring everyone along. I think this will help me personally be the best that I can be, by being around this environment on a regular basis."
Mike Rush, CEO of St Helens said: "The growth of the women's game is fantastic and has probably been faster than most could have expected, but not for Jodie who is a true trailblazer and one of our finest ambassadors for the entire sport of rugby league.
"Jodie's role looks at the players who are here and now, but with a firm eye on the future and how we will be bringing through even more players to develop here at Saints, to become their best at Saints. We want all our teams to succeed at the club and we keep aiming to develop our women's team to be the very best it can be."
Watch every match of the 2024 Super League season, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and men's, women's and wheelchair Grand Finals, plus the World Club Challenge, live on Sky Sports. Also stream with NOW.
