THATTO Heath head coach Richard Owen was named coach of the year at the Kingstone Press National Conference League Annual Presentation Dinner on Saturday.

Owen, who took over the coaching reins at the start of the season, guided Thatto to the title after their Premier Division Grand Final win over Siddal the week before.

Thatto Heath last won the Premier League title – the highest point in amateur rugby – back in 2011, but they were relegated and have had something of a rebuilding job.

But the squad they have assembled now is coming into its prime, with good years ahead them.

Owen said: “We are lucky. The special thing is I am looking at a three-year programme and the special thing is some of those players are maturing and the average age is 22.

“So there is more to come, and we have even had some of our 18s training with us as well.”

The one-club mentality that runs through the club has helped across the board. And all work to the same system, which makes it easy for players to step in and fill the gap.

It also created a unique double for one player – with Sean Leicester tasting glory in both open age play off Grand Finals.

Owen continued: “We are lucky that we have a second team and that we all train together.

“If you look at Sean – he is one of the few players to play in two Grand Finals in the same year and win them both.

“We all train together – it makes your second team players better because they are training with better players.

“And it makes your first team players pick the right pass, so to speak.

“I am a big believer in having the same plays for the same moves and if anyone steps up he is good to go and gets the ethos and knows all the calls.

“It works well.”

Thatto will enjoy the deserved plaudits, but the coach has already told them that the bar will be raised again for next year when they will be up there to be shot at.

Owen said: “We have to raise our bar again.

“I have already sent a message to the players – enjoy your off season.

“They will be back in the middle of January and we will have to work hard because they will want to knock us off the top spot.”

“It is up to us how hard we are going to work.”

But the squad they have assembled now is coming into its prime, with good years ahead them.

Owen said: “We are lucky. The special thing is I am looking at a three-year programme and the special thing is some of those players are maturing and the average age is 22.

“So there is more to come, and we have even had some of our 18s training with us as well.”

The one-club mentality that runs through the club has helped across the board. And all work to the same system, which makes it easy for players to step in and fill the gap.

It also created a unique double for one player – with Sean Leicester tasting glory in both open age play off Grand Finals.

Owen continued: “We are lucky that we have a second team and that we all train together.

“If you look at Sean – he is one of the few players to play in two Grand Finals in the same year and win them both.

“We put him in the North West Men’s League to get more minutes coming back from injury.

“He worked hard and then we unfortunately got an injury and that opened the door for him.

“We all train together – it makes your second team players better because they are training with better players.

“And it makes your first team players pick the right pass, so to speak, depending on who they are passing to.

“I am a big believer in having the same plays for the same moves and I want to do that in the 18s too if anyone steps up he is good to go at that level and gets the ethos and knows all the calls.

“It works well.”

Thatto will enjoy the deserved plaudits, but the coach has already told them that the bar will be raised again for next year when they will be up there to be shot at.

Owen said: “We have to raise our bar again.

“I have already sent a message to the players – enjoy your off season.

“They will be back in the middle of January and we will have to work hard because they will want to knock us off the top spot.

“It is up to us how hard we are going to work.”

Owen praised the support he has had from top to bottom since joining the club - including the chairman Mike Denning and his predecessor as coach Paul Hatton.

He said: "Mike Denning has been really supportive – anything I wanted he has got for me.

"We wanted more balls for training and he got them. I explained I wanted every player to have a ball in his hand and 40 balls turned up two days later.

"I have been really pleased with the effort of people like Lee Gannon as assistant coach. I could not ask for a better bloke, with his knowledge and passion for the club. Likewise with Andy Houghton as team manager.

"They are all fantastic.

"The week of the Grand Final Hatto rang me up and asked if I wanted him involved. I said 'I certainly do – you have been involved in a Grand Final and won one'.

"He is really good at delivering messages and then bringing the information back to the bench. That is what I wanted him there."