Wakefield Trinity can confirm that Head of Youth, Ben Lazenby will depart his role with the club.
Since joining Trinity in December 2023, Ben has played a pivotal role in revitalising the club’s Youth department. Through his dedication, vision, and leadership, he has brought renewed stability and direction to the programme.
Ben has overseen the development of a clear and comprehensive player pathway, supporting talent from ages 12 to 22. In addition to overseeing our Scholarship, Academy, and Reserves programmes, he introduced several key initiatives that have reshaped our youth development strategy:
- Emerging Player Pathway – The first step on the development ladder, designed to identify and nurture early talent.
- Aspire Programme – Focused on players just below Scholarship level, providing long-term development opportunities.
- Accelerate Programme – Targeted support for high-potential players, offering bespoke attention to maximise performance.
Under Ben’s watch, players such as Ellis Lingard and Rowan Stephenson have progressed through the ranks to make their First Team competitive debuts, while others, including Robbie Brook and Cain Staveley-Carr, have gained valuable experience training with the senior squad.
Ben also pioneered the introduction of short-format 10-a-side games in the Scholarship competition. These games offer players increased game time and focus on core skill development in a dynamic, engaging format.
Community engagement has been another cornerstone of Ben’s approach. The Academy On The Road programme has brought our methods and values into local clubs, offering players and coaches unique insights into our training and match preparation. Our Academy players have also played an active role, delivering skill-based sessions to boys’ and girls’ teams at the community clubs which we visited.
On his time at the club, Ben Lazenby said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Wakefield Trinity and feel we have achieved a huge amount in short period of time. Whilst I am disappointed to be leaving I have enjoyed working with all of the staff both on and off the pitch and hopefully the structures that I’ve put in place will benefit the club for years to come.”
Wakefield Trinity’s CEO, Craig Barrass said: “The scale of the task that Ben took on when joining the club in December 2023 should not be underestimated, and the transformation from that point to where we are now is quite remarkable. The benefits to Wakefield Trinity will be realised for many years to come. The club governance, player programmes and values that Ben has instilled are now the foundations for the club to grow in terms of youth development and progression. I would like to thank Ben for his dedication, passion, vision and professionalism during his employment with us, and everyone at Wakefield Trinity wishes Ben the very best in his next career move.”
Trinity’s Recruitment Manager, Ste Mills said: “Ben’s been brilliant to work with and has played a massive part in shaping the youth setup here at Trinity. He really cares about the lads coming through, and that’s shown in the way he’s gone about everything. From my side, he’s always been open, honest, and great to bounce ideas off. I want to wish him all the best for whatever comes next.”
Confirmation of a replacement will be made in due course.