Community Football Degree

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Kids Wembley Dreams Can Come True

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The Football League’s Girls and Kids Cup gives school children across the country the chance to compete for an exciting, once in a lifetime opportunity, to play at Wembley Stadium.

The competitions, which are run by The Football League Trust, get underway at the end of the month and will involve over 20,000 children.  Combined, the Cups create one of the country’s largest national football competitions, which culminate in exciting finals at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands of fansbefore a major football final, as schoolchildren live out their dream.

Shaun Harvey, Chief Executive of the Football League commented, “Thanks to deep rooted connections of Football League clubs to their communities, last year over 1.5 million people across the country took part in Football League Trust projects with 22,000 children contesting the Kids and Girls Cups.
“To play at Wembley is a dream for millions of young people and The Football League is proud to make this dream a reality for another group of budding young players and their families.”

Two children whose dreams came true last year were Lawrence Cooper and Alex Fugle. Lawrence scored the winning goal for Huncoats School who were representing Accrington Stanley in the League 2 Kids Cup Final, he said:   “When I scored it was overwhelming, words can’t describe how good it felt. I’ve been dreaming of the moment I score at Wembley for a long time, ever since I can remember. My Dad was in the crowd and he was excited to see me play, so I wanted to win it for him.”

Alex of Elthorne High School, who scored the only goal of the Girls Cup final as Brentford beat Hartlepool, she said “It felt amazing. I’ve always wanted to play at Wembley and score. It’s the best feeling in the whole world.”

The competitions have a unique format.  Each of the 72 Football League clubs run a competition for their local schools, with the winners representing their club, through various stages, on the road to Wembley.

Last season saw both Kids and Girls Cup attract a record numbers of entrants. The total number of boys and girls taking part across both competitions last this year was over 22,000. Mirroring the growth in Women’s football generally the Girls Cup recorded an impressive 20% rise in participation with over 6000 girls taking part.  Whilst the Kids Cup recorded a huge increase of 35% from 2013/14 with 1,974 schools participating against 1,370 in the previous year.

The Football League Girls Cup is a six-a-side competition for girls aged under 13. Each club’s winners represent the club at area and then regional stages, culminating in a grand final prior to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on the 3rd April, 2016
The Football League Kids Cup is a six-a-side competition for children under 11, and sees the 72 clubs split into 3 divisions, in line with club’s divisional status, before being again split into two groups, north and south. The winners of the divisional northern and southern finals then qualify for the chance to play at Wembley before the Sky Bet Football League Play-Off Final of the relevant division.
Schools that wish to take part are encouraged to contact their local Football League club for more details. Further information how how to take part contact your local Football League club’s community trust

Football league Trust Makes TWO signings on Deadline Day

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Alongside all the other Football League teams The Football League Trust (FLT) have also been very active on Transfer Deadline Day

The Trust have made two new signings to support the ever growing team, which is now at 32 members of staff.

FLT welcome Henry Seaton and Tony Buck who will complete the squad for the upcoming season.

Henry, who is an avid Manchester United Fan is FLT’s new Business Development Manager for Education bringing with him 25 years experience working for various Government Agencies and running his own consultant for schools funding.

Tony’s new role as NCS Youth Engagement Officer will see him join up with the NCS Team. As well as being a Bradford City season ticket holder, Tony has over 13 years experience as a youth worker in a school based environment, and so is the perfect man for the job.

Mike Evans, Operations Director at the Trust is delighted with the new signings “This is another example of how far we have come over the years. Henry and Tony have a huge amount of knowledge in their respected fields and we hope for good things in the future to come from these two appointments.”

We wish good luck to them both on their new venture with us.

8,000 Young People deliver 250,000 hours volunteering

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Young People on the Football League Trust’s National Citizen Service (NCS) programme have dedicated a Quarter of a MILLION hours making a difference in their local community

To put that into perspective, that would be the equivalent to building 9 Olympic Stadiums!

Throughout this Summer over 8,000 young people aged 15-17 went away with their local football League side to not only have the experience of a life time, but to give back their time to their local community by delivering projects that have supported the different needs and issues within their community.

On completing their first week of action packed adventure on NCS, young people are tasked with planning a social action project of their choice to deliver in their local community. During the Summer there have been some fantastic examples from the 40 organisations that the Football League Trust partner with for NCS.

Rotherham and Doncaster have raised thousands of pounds to buy new toys and equipment for their local children’s hospital, whereas Grimsby Town Community Trust, Sheffield Wednesday, and Youth Options have all redeveloped a sensory garden to benefit the less fortunate.

An NCS group from Luton Town decided to raise money to pay for Luton Town’s men’s disability team to visit Wembley stadium and receive a tour. Alex Beasley, a Luton NCS Participant said “We chose the LTFC men’s disability team because it challenged us as well as trying to make a difference to their lives. I think they had a great day out”

Every project has had a positive impact, leaving a lasting legacy that people in years to come can benefit from. Everyone involved in this Summers NCS deserve huge credit, specifically the young people who have given up their weekend and time to make a difference, changing the stereotypical perception of teenagers.

Loo Brackpool, Business Development Manager at the Football League Trust “NCS gives young people the opportunity to showcase the good work they can do as well as bringing a feel good factor to the community. What we have seen this Summer is fantastic, and the more young people put into NCS, the more they will take away from it for the future. NCS is a once in a life time opportunity for teenagers aged 15-17 and delivers a huge amount of positives”

Turning GCSEs into Goals

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16-18 year old footballer? Considering college?

The Football League Trust Education & Futsal programme (FLT Futsal) presents a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to play futsal for Football League, Premier League and National League clubs, whilst studying towards a BTEC in Sport (worth up to three A-levels) over two years.

School leavers require four A-C GCSEs, including English and Maths, or a BTEC Level 2 to be eligible for this pioneering programme, aimed at boys and girls who have a passion for football/futsal and a desire to progress to university and work in sport.

Unlike a regular college course, the students use an online platform, allowing them to substitute a mundane traditional classroom for study within the inspirational setting of the football club – in a recent study, 89% of FLT Futsal students rated this unique learning environment as excellent compared to previous education experiences.

Reading and Sheffield United players in action during the Soccer AM Futsal Cup Final at the Copper Box Arena

Reading and Sheffield United players in action during the Soccer AM Futsal Cup Final at the Copper Box Arena

 

Study is supplemented by regular training sessions to develop technical, tactical and physical ability, whilst representing their club in the FLT Futsal League and other competitions, including the Soccer AM Futsal Cup.

FLT Futsal is proving a driving force in developing the world’s fastest growing sport in the UK. Future stars continue to emerge, with many players catching FA National League & England scouts’ eyes. Frequent call-ups to England Development squads are a testament to the programme’s production of talent.

The programme offers an array of exit routes, ranging from a university education – including FLT’s Community Football Coaching & Development Foundation Degree, to careers in the sports and leisure sector, both in the UK and overseas. Students have progressed to employment within their football club, whilst others have pursued Soccer Scholarships in the USA.

Places are filling up fast, so to find out which of your local professional clubs are delivering the FLT Futsal programme, and to apply visit www.fltfutsal.co.uk

FBT Become The Football League Trust’s Official Kit Sponsor

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 The Football League Trust today signed an exciting new deal that sees FBT become the Trust’s official kit sponsor.

 fbt-2549-2619664_478x359The deal will also see numerous Community Trusts at Football League clubs kitted out in FBT gear over the next two years.

Mike Evans, Operations Director at the Football League Trust comments, “This is a great deal for us and our community trusts. The kit provided by FBT will free up valuable resources that will enable us to increase the work we do in the football communities.”

FBT are based in Thailand and are one of the leading sports brands in the Asian market.  The development of the company is a classic rags to riches story. They were established 62 years ago by by Mr Kamol Chokephaibulkit who started his business by sewing footballs in a temple at Sapan Leung. He learnt how to do it by repairing footballs brought by Europeans. From sewing 2-3 football per week the company has grown into one of the leading sports companies in Asia employing over 2,800 people and are still run by Mr Kamol and his family.    

Mr Monchai Chokephaibulkit, FBT’s managing director, comments. “We are excited by our new partnership with the Football LeagueScreen Shot 2015-08-25 at 21.30.10 Trust and see this very much as a joint venture.  In Thailand we do a lot of activity with our communities and were impressed by the work that the Trust does here particularly with regard to inclusion and health. In looking to establish ourselves in Europe we wanted to get into grassroots sport and integrate the brand within the community so that we have a real connection that’s means something to people. Therefore we see the Trust as a perfect fit for us.”

 

Mike Evans concludes, “We were impressed by the quality of kit provided by FBT and are looking forward to developing a great partnership over the next few years.”  

 

For more information on FBT e-mail [email protected]

Use your passion and knowledge of football and sport to get a business degree

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How has your club started the season? What do you make of the pre-season wheeling and dealing in the boardroom?

ou-iain-dowie-4x3549-1966390_478x359Has your team bought well during the off season? Do you start the season with a new sponsor and a healthy bank balance?

 

Think you could do a better job? Why not give it a go – the BA (Hons) Business Management (Sport & Football) degree from the Open University and the Football League Trust uses football as way to teach business skills.

 

So why not apply your knowledge of football and sport to get a business degree? If you love the game it’s not going to seem like learning at all and you’ll get a degree that opens up a world of possibilities for your career.

 

The degree, which is undertaken primarily via distance learning, allows students to select specific business, management, training and sports modules to match their career ambitions with intriguing themes such as the economics of football, motivation, team effectiveness, and strategic management.

 

To find out more visit the Open University website.

 

This summer more than 8,000 young people aged 15-17 are taking part on the adventure of a lifetime with the Football League Trust.

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The National Citizen Service (NCS) programme delivered by the Football League Trust and partners brings together 15–17 year olds from different backgrounds in a packed programme of challenge, service and learning, enabling them to develop the confidence, skills and attitudes they need to become more engaged with their communities and to become active and responsible citizens.

NCS is keeping thousands of young people busy this summer with a three to four week programme, testing them in the first week with outdoor activities such as kayaking, ghyll ccrambling, rock climbing and many more.  The remaining weeks are spent engaging with the local community, learning new skills, and finally planning and delivering a community project that will leave a legacy in the local community.

Since the pilot year in 2011, the Football League Trust scheme has delivered more than 200,000 hours of community work that have benefited and made a positive impact on the local community.

Here’s what some young people that are away on NCS have said through social media.

NCS is delivered during autumn, spring and summer in which young people nationwide can sign up for this fantastic opportunity for just £50. If you want to say Yes to NCS then please contact The Football League Trust at [email protected] or visit www.ncsflt.co.uk.

National Girls Football Festival at Wembley

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Girls representing Football League clubs will take part in the National Girls Football Festival at Wembley tomorrow.

ffd4-4x3549-1961086_478x359The festival will be held at Powerleague Wembley in the shadow of the national stadium ahead of the Women’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Notts County.

A number of the competing sides – including Brighton & Hove Albion, Preston North End and Brentford – are part of the Female Football Development (FFD) scheme which aims to increase participation among women and girls at the grassroots.

FFD is delivered by the Football League Trust and has helped thousands of people get into the game, strengthening the bond between the top level of the women’s game and the communities in which clubs are based.

The tournament at Wembley this weekend will be contested by more than 200 girls from 20 teams playing five-a-side matches. Groups of five will be contested before the top sides move on to the knockout stage.

The teams taking part in the competition are as follows:

Group A

Chelsea

Everton

Leyton Orient

Preston North End

Sheffield Wednesday

Group B

Arsenal

Brighton Hove Albion

Derby County

Fulham FC

Morecambe FC

Group C

Aldershot Town

Blackpool

Luton Town

Tottenham Hotspur

West Brom

Group D

Brentford FC

Hartlepool United

Leicester City

Manchester City

QPR

Plymouth Argyle have collected the first silverware of the new season by winning The Football League Trust’s first Walking Football tournament, at St. George’s Park this week.

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The finals day, which took place at England’s training ground, played host to 10 finalists from nine Football League teams, who had qualified from the five regional heats.  

This slow-paced version of the beautiful game is aimed specifically at the over-50s. As the name suggests, it is a non-contact sport and anyone that sprints, runs or jogs while the ball is in play is penalised.

In the competition, the teams were split into two groups of five with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals, and there was very little to choose between any of the teams. 

Going into the final group games, Blackpool and Plymouth had already qualified from Group 2 but the outcome of their game would decide who topped the group. In the end nothing could separate the teams and Blackpool won the group on goal difference.

In Group 1, AFC Wimbledon scored a late winner against Derby B to keep their hopes alive.  This left Derby A needing a win against Leeds United in order to qualify, but they could only collect a 0-0 draw, in what was a pulsating end-to-end game  with a host of chances.

This meant the semi-final line-up was Plymouth versus Derby A and AFC Wimbledon versus Blackpool.

Both games were incredibly tight and won by a single goal, with Blackpool and Plymouth setting up a rematch in the final.  

In that match there was nothing to choose between the teams in normal time and the game entered a tense period of extra time.

It was Argyle that broke the deadlock with a goal from Trevor Richards direct from a corner. However, that was not to be the end of the drama as there was almost a late twist, with the Seasiders forcing a fine save from the Plymouth keeper with the last kick of the match.

The final whistle sparked Argyle’s celebrations and confirmed that they had won the tournament – a remarkable achievement for a team who had only started playing the game eight weeks ago. 

“It’s a very difficult game to play. If you over-hit or under-hit a pass you can’t catch the ball up because you aren’t allowed to run,” Plymouth goal scorer Richards said. “It’s great fun, and I would recommend it to anyone. You have got learn very quickly not to run.”

Dean Grice from The Football League Trust said: “Walking Football has grown massively over the last few years. The game is brilliant for over 50s and is designed to help people keep an active lifestyle despite their age, as well as getting those back playing football who had to stop due to injuries.

“The health benefits are immense, simply playing one hour a week for three months enables players to cover 30 miles and burn 4,200 calories.”

The 10 finalists were: AFC Wimbledon, Blackpool, Crewe Alexandra, Derby County ‘A’, Derby County ‘B’, Leeds United, Norwich City, Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town and York City.

Following on from the success of Walking Football’s pilot year with The Football League Trust, there is a big momentum now to increase participation further and grow the game to every area of the country.