Luton Football Scholarship Scheme Info 2013

Coaching
Careers
Public Services
Careers
Student Exit Routes
Higher
Education (UK)
Scholarship
Scheme
Higher
Education (USA)
Sports Industry
Careers
Playing
Careers
Developing a number of innovative exit routes that will create
opportunities for students to progress into a lifelong career pathway
Luton Town Football Club, in partnership with Hitchin
Town and Central Bedfordshire College announce
Elite Boys Football Academy Trials for September 2013
Football Scholarship Scheme
Football Scholarship Scheme
The scheme is delivered in its entirety at the Arena utilising all of the
facilities available including the 3rd Generation artificial pitch, changing
rooms, study support centre, laundry room and lounge area. Central
Bedfordshire college provide two tutors for the academic aspect of the
course and Luton Town FC provide two coaches for the coaching delivery.
Football in Education
Higher Education UK & USA
Higher education is a popular choice of former students that have attained the
necessary qualifications to gain entry to Universities both in the United Kingdom
and in the USA.
The experiences gained whilst on the scheme equip the
boys with both qualifications and life skills that prepare
them for life at University.
Daniel Olaniran
Throughout the year the Arena is used by a number of
USA Scholarship recruitment companies including Pass
4 Soccer, First Point USA and United Sports USA. A
number of students have participated in trial matches and
were successful in earning scholarships at Universities in
America including Daniel Olaniran now studying at
University in North Carolina.
The boys study the Btec Extended Diploma in Sport - Performance and
excellence which is a 2 year full time course. The course consists of 19
modules and cover different areas of sport, both practically and
academically. The final qualification will give the students the opportunity
to gain entry to University and improve their employability.
Public Services Careers
During the course of the scheme the students will visit Baldock Fire station to
spend a day with fire fighters receiving a real insight into life as a fire fighter. The
day is beneficial to the boys as they witness the use of fire fighting and road
traffic collision equipment, participate in fitness exercises, using breathing
apparatus, watching a road safety
awareness DVD and l i s t e n i n g
to fire fighters experiences.
The Fire service use the day as a
recruitment opportunity whilst
advocating the importance of
road safety and the hazards of
fire.
Students receive 16 hours
academic study per week
Healthy lunches are available
in the lounge area.
Baldock Fire Station
Football in Education
Football Scholarship Scheme
James Ferguson
Coaching Careers
Playing Careers
During their time on the course the students are given the opportunity to gain
the FA Level 1 coaching certificate. In addition some of the students will be
given coaching experience on the Club’s numerous Community programmes
including holiday courses, primary coaching clinics, Adult and Junior Ability
Counts sessions, youth diversionary projects and after school clubs.
Luton Town use the scheme as a ‘safety net’ for
players that may have been judged not to be ready for
a contract but are considered to have potential to
develop into a professional player in the future. At the
end of the first year of the scheme James Ferguson
was successful in being offered a professional contract
with Luton Town FC in 2011.
The Community programme has benefitted from the influx of former students
to the Club’s pool of coaches, delivering the projects on a paid basis.
Dammy Nickels-Benson in
the USA
The Club established a link with UK
Soccer Camps based in the USA after
8 young American players visited the
Arena to take part in a 10 day training
camp hosted by UK Soccer
Camps and in conjunction with the
scholarship scheme.
The relationship has developed and has seen one scholarship scheme student
Dammy Nickels-Benson spend a summer in the USA coaching with UK Soccer
Camps on a voluntary basis.
The Club is exploring the possibility of expanding this scholarship exit route by
creating further coaching opportunities in the USA by building on its relationship
with former Hitchin Town player Trevor Parker currently working with McLean
Youth Soccer from the Virginia area and Nick Mulvaney a former Hitchin Town
community coach working at Chicago Lakefront Soccer Club.
The long term aim is to create
an exchange programme that
would see students from both
countries experiencing life in a
foreign environment and
develop their life skills.
Those players that are not offered
contracts are given the opportunity
to trial with Hitchin Town FC and
those that are not selected are then
signposted to other non-league
clubs to continue their playing
career on a semi-professional basis
whilst pursuing a career in full time
employment.
Students receive 12 hours
football coaching per week