Sixth form provider, New College Bradford, has added a top-flight name to its match-day roster.
Michael Lawrence will be joining the college’s Sports Studies and PE Department in September 2023. Michael has been a professional rugby league player for 16 years and is currently captain of Bradford Bulls RLFC. A well-known figure amongst local rugby league teams, Michael played for Huddersfield from 2007 to 2022, and represented the England Knights (the national side’s feeder team) in 2012, before representing Jamaica in 2019.
Michael has also played a key role as a founding member of the RFL’s Inclusion and Diversity Board, an important part of RFL’s commitment to actively dealing with discrimination.
“We are delighted to have Michael joining our squad,” said Raza Siddique, Head of Sports at NCB. “Not only is Michael one of the best rugby league players of his generation, he is also a natural leader. He will have a massive positive impact on our young players, and both the staff and students cannot wait for him to start.”
“I’m delighted to have secured a position teaching at New College Bradford,” said Michael. “This is a great environment to work in, as I have found out over the past 18 months during my PGCE student placement. I look forward to using my experiences as a professional athlete, combined with my teaching ability, to continue to inspire the students at New College Bradford to achieve their academic goals and fulfil their sporting potential.”
Michael will bring with him his enormous experience of top-flight sport, keeping cool under pressure and maintaining the highest levels of fitness and conditioning associated with playing at professional sport. He will be teaching both A-Level PE and BTEC Sport, and coaching the rugby league side at NCB. Working part-time for the college will mean he can continue playing and captaining Bradford Bulls.
