Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation are delighted to announce the appointment of former Leeds Rhinos and Scotland boss Jim Dyson as our new Wheelchair Head Coach!
Dyson arrives at Wakefield with a distinguished background in Wheelchair Rugby League through his time at Leeds and Scotland.
The Rhinos won the Wheelchair Premier League with Leeds in 2018, while they also reached the Grand Final and Challenge Cup Final the previous year, under Dyson’s stewardship.
Dyson also spent more than three years as Scotland National Team Coach, primarily working with the group in preparation for the Wheelchair World Cup in 2022.
The appointment of Dyson as Wheelchair Head Coach follows the arrival of former Wakefield Trinity player and esteemed charitable fundraiser Jimmy Gittins as Director of Wheelchair Rugby, as confirmed last month.
On his appointment at Wakefield, Dyson said: “I saw a post on social media from Jack (Pemberton, Social & Inclusion Officer) and, having not been Wheelchair Rugby League for a few years, I thought ‘This is the right time for me to come back’.
“I’ve missed being involved in the sport and it’s great to be involved with my hometown club.
“I think the Club is now in a great position and making loads of strides across the board both off and on the pitch as well as in the community, so I felt like it was a really good time to reach out and get back into the game.
“I started in Wheelchair Rugby League around 10 years ago at Leeds Rhinos initially as a volunteer and player before becoming the Head Coach of the team for a couple of seasons, winning the Wheelchair Premier League, which is one of the proudest moments of my career.
“I’ve also previously coached the Scotland national team, supporting them in preparation for the last World Cup.”
Dyson was part of the coaching staff that led the third of four Open Trial sessions at Denhale Activity Recreation Centre on Tuesday evening.
“It was great to be down at the Open Trials,” he continued. “The players that were down there are a great group of people, with a different range of ages and experiences.
“It was great to get back involved in Wheelchair Rugby League and being back in the sport. I love what this sport can do for people and I’m really excited to be part of the journey here at Wakefield Trinity.”
Director of Wheelchair Rugby Jimmy Gittins added: “To bring Jim on board is a great coup for us. We spoke at the beginning of this journey about building the team up and having the right people in the background, and to have Jim on board is all part of that.
“I was down at the Open Trials with Jim on Tuesday night and it was like he had never been away. His demeanour, his knowledge, the way he speaks to players is clear to see even in such a short space of time.
“For us to get somebody of Jim’s calibre is a great catch for ourselves.
“Jack has done an amazing job at the Open Trials already and you can see a team formulating and a great environmentment, even with a range of players across different ages and ability levels.
“But that’s the whole purpose of Wheelchair Rugby League, being inclusive and creating a team which can go from strength to strength.”
A further announcement on the Wakefield Trinity Wheelchair playing squad will be made next week ahead of the beginning of the team’s 2025 season in the Championship East.
Anyone interested in joining Wakefield Trinity Wheelchair can attend the next Open Trial on Tuesday 24th June (5.45pm – 7.15pm) at Denhale Activity Recreation Centre (WF2 9EF). To sign up, please click the link HERE!
No prior experience in Wheelchair Rugby League is required and the sport is open to male and female players aged 14+ both able-bodied and disabled.