The Association was formed in Huddersfield in 1973 when, with a bank balance of only £25, it broke away from the Rugby Football League (RFL) and has become one of the sporting success stories of modern times.
At that time the RFL was controlled by thirty professional clubs with the amateurs having no vote or say in their own destiny. The sport was in serious decline. There were fewer than 150 amateur teams, with youth rugby teams down to as little as thirty sides.
The breakaway was acrimonious and was strongly contested by the professional game. However thanks to the rugby league senior statesman, the late Tom Mitchell of Workington, (who was a visionary and a colossus in the professional ranks and later the Patron of BARLA), a vote 29-1 against recognising BARLA was turned round.
Within twelve months this had become a unanimous vote of approval for the newly born "BARLA baby".
Twenty-six years later there are more than 1400 teams and 900 youth and junior teams, a truly remarkable record. On an average weekend in the season, close on 23,000 players will be in action. Few other sports or indeed businesses can boast such an impressive growth record.
On the international scene BARLA has made a major impact on the expansion of the game. In the pre-BARLA days, amateur international games were limited solely to annual exchanges with France. In 1977 BARLA extended its boundaries 12,000 miles to take in Australia and New Zealand. In that year the BARLA Young Lions made their first inaugural tour, setting a lasting trend by giving future stars of the game such as David Hobbs their first taste of international rugby league. This was just the beginning, as BARLA then became a member of the International Board.
The Association never looked back and to this day has made double figure tours to and from the Southern Hemisphere. These include pioneer visits to Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands and South Africa. Indeed in 1993 BARLA provided the first Great Britain team to tour South Africa.
In the Northern Hemisphere games have been played against Moldavia, Russia, Morocco and the USA. In one 12-month period BARLA played international games in no less than 13 countries. The International Board was delighted with BARLA's role in the international expansion of the game. That work has been recognised by BARLA's inclusion as affiliate members of the International Board's 1999 counterpart, the International Federation and furthermore by BARLA's inclusion in the Emerging Nations World Championship to be held in the year 2000.
BARLA has also understood the need to provide incentives for players at every level with the National Conference League and the National Youth League implementing the regional leagues by providing the pinnacle of achievement within the amateur game.
The Association has always been a champion of the amateur ethos and in 1987 BARLA played a major role in the establishment of the `free gangway' between the two codes at amateur level. The agreement allowed players to inter-change between Rugby League and Rugby Union without fear of discrimination, a move that was truly a piece of rugby history which helped to bring about the end of rugby apartheid which had existed between rugby league and rugby union since the last century.
The highlight of BARLA's history occurred in 1990 with the opening of its new offices in Huddersfield `the birthplace of the game` by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The visit gave the royal seal of approval to in excess of 100,000 rugby league enthusiasts who are involved in the sport every week of the season and who give their time and efforts in a voluntary capacity to promote the game of rugby league at grass roots level.
In October 1997 the relationship between BARLA and the Rugby Football League, the governing body of the professional sport underwent a renaissance with the signing of a Partnership Agreement that spawned the Rugby League Policy Board. The crucial role of the Board was and is to implement a co-ordinated development programme for the game of rugby league. The successful first year of the Partnership prompted a five-year extension to the Agreement, which has been an outstanding success.
The implementation of a Development Strategy for Rugby League based on a coordinated approach at local and regional level is now well under way and provides the framework for other successful Policy Board initiatives. These include the Player Development Programmes, the Coach Education Programme and Match Official Development Programmes. In addition the Youth Commission, a body created by the Policy Board to address the thorny issues of youth and junior rugby, has been successful in establishing a single Modified Games Programme.
An initial agreement at Under-16 Level between the GB & I Schools and BARLA to reduce the demands on players, an agreement on the movement of players between the RFL Academy and BARLA Youth Leagues and a new international structure.
BARLA is now facing the new millennium by committing itself to the provision of more services for its members with the establishment of a Membership Services Department. This has already enhanced communication, with the production of the Association's journal, the Bulletin and the production of a web site.
The department has also success-fully undertaken a pilot scheme to centrally produce tamper proof registration cards, initially for youth and junior players. They have constructed a database encompassing all aspects of rugby league including players, coaches and match officials and an Association Handbook that underpins all aspects of club development.
Tough and fast in the field, Rugby League retains an enviable record for sportsmanship and for spectator enjoyment and good behaviour. Throughout the massive expansion over the many years, BARLA has managed to maintain Rugby League's reputation as one enjoyed by all the family and a sport which has kept its roots in the communities from which it sprang.
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