While a strong Yorkshire gale does its best attempt to silence the orders from the head coach. Thirty rugged men’s cleats remain firmly planted upon the weathered grass awaiting instruction. To keep up their immense winning streak practice must be calculated and approached vigorously. The bitter cold and wet mud is nothing of the coaches’ concern but keeping the brute forces running plays sharp and snappy however dictate this windy Wednesday. A shout to get these men into a single wing formation is met with concise adherence. Orchestrating these men is no Seargent or army veteran but a woman whose experience see her fit under the veterinary umbrella for rugby and of course…American football.
From captaining Manchester Titans to coaching at Brit Bowl Championships, this female coach exceeds expectation.
Leading the way for female coaches in a sport like American football, which finds itself dominated by men, is one woman – Robyn Scholes. How do you go from being ‘one of the only females with a desire to play in the UK’ to spearheading a Leeds University men’s first American football team’s title blitz.
Not to let a reader of a good story down, but Robyn Scholes doesn’t believe it’s a big deal which is impressive in itself. Her story begins in the West Midlands, the birthplace of rugby which is arguably poetic considering her story – unlike the fruity language which may be heard from the side line.
Scholes explained: “So my background from a young age is I’ve always been involved in rugby union since I was eleven, when I moved to Leeds, I found American football because I realised the rugby union up here wasn’t great. It’s very much a Midland thing. I’ve always been heavily involved in the sport even when it’s been male-dominant from a very young age. The rough and tumble of boisterous young lads has never put me off but has been something I’ve grown use to over the years.” For Scholes growing up around teams that have made an effort to be inclusive has played a pivotal role in her feeling comfortable taking on men physically and mentally.
Scholes added: “I’ve always been part of rugby clubs who have been proud to have a girls’ team and done their best to make it for everyone, I believe more sports should encourage this approach as not only does it promote respect to one another, it also proves to men women can be just as capable.”
Although realising rugby union wasn’t what she expected it to be in Leeds this kicked off a love for American football. As one of the few ladies who had a desire to play Robyn found herself becoming an unintentional pioneer in respects of coaching American football in the UK. Robyn said: “I was one of the first girls to play and was originally linked to Leeds Beckett. Here I started a women’s team with a coach who was all pro women in sport. American football in the UK is mixed, women can play on any adult’s men’s team. This means I can go anywhere in the UK with an adult program and be the only girl amongst 75 people.”
Robyn Scholes expanding on the creation of the women’s game.
Scholes explained rules like this mean if you’re a girl and have a burning passion to get involved you should ‘suck it up and show them what you can offer.’ Scholes said: “Looking back, being put in situations where I was the only girl on the program my whole life has meant taking the reins on Leeds Gryphons men’s team has comfortable and not alien at all.”
The women’s game came to fruition through a growing number of women wanting to play with the help of Scholes’ encouragement, but naturally a lot of the women didn’t want to go up against men. Things started off small but then began to take off. Who else to lead the flag for Uk American football than a previous Team GB player.
Facing grown men has not been something which has ever phased Robyn, but the idea of disloyalty has. Robyn said: “When my playing career ended, and I retired, it was tough leaving Beckett to start a new chapter at University of Leeds.”
When Robyn decided to finally make the jump she said: “The way it used to work at Beckett was we would have the University team and then the women’s team used to train on a third of their field, so originally I was going to coach the Leeds Beckett team, but I was technically still fit to play and I thought there is nothing worse for me than coaching on two thirds of a field whilst getting a fear of missing out and not being able to play with the women’s team so I finally made the jump and cross boarded from Beckett to Gryphons.” A hail Mary which she found proved to have paid off.
Like a rugby turnover or American football interception, Robyn decided it was time to take things into her own hands and go undercover to find out what the Leeds Gryphons were truly about. With her history of playing at the top level for teams like Manchester Titans and Team GB it wasn’t hard for University of Leeds Gryphons to welcome her with open arms. Having taken part in numerous programs from the age of eleven, coming up with new strategies and ideas wasn’t a difficult task.
Robyn explained: “No matter who they are or what background they have, you want to get a group of 25-30 lads on board. Once you have done that the opportunities to do great things are endless. I’m lucky to have such a tight nit group who have each other’s backs.”
Scholes’ appointment as head coach hasn’t once been in question, as Robyn flew into a fantasy start as the Gryphons were crowned Division 1A Yorkshire and Lancashire Champions 2019/20.
Shortly after that her Gryphon army struck again winning Division 1 Borders in 2023 remaining champions going into the new year and new season. The Gryphons went into the 23/24 Christmas break having been unbeaten in three games. The two stand out fixtures being an 18:0 win against Manchester Metropolitan University and a whopping 42:2 win against Liverpool Raptors. Amongst the match day mist one thing is clear: the team are like a big cozy family, but when it comes to taking on their noisy northern neighbors, they are relentless.
Robyn finally added: “You want to play forever and ever, but unfortunately that’s not possible. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to continue my involvement with American football but through the eyes of a coach. I see the same hunger in these kids’ eyes that I saw in mine all of them years ago.”
Her Team GB involvement as a player, coaching the Brit Bowl Championship team and 20 years’ experience coaching women’s rugby have landed her in the position of an admirable leader and coach. Furthermore, a figure of inspiration to any other women who want to take on coaching who believe they have what it takes.
Scholes ended and said: “I don’t often compare it as women and men. I think if you work hard to get the experience it shouldn’t matter.”
