The Albion Foundation U19 Elite Development Squad Apply using the form below
Nathaniel Graham, aged just 16, has been on trial with Albion’s U18 Academy and has also trained with the U23 squad.
The former Perry Beeches School pupil is a first year student on the West Bromwich Albion Foundation Men’s Elite Football Academy Under 19 Football Education Programme at the college.
Students on the elite programme play in a WBA shadow academy squad and compete in the National Football Youth League against other professional clubs.
Nathaniel said he owed so much to the programme for giving him the opportunity to play at that level and progress as a player.
He said: “I would like to thank all WBA elite team coaches and Sandwell College teaching staff who have helped me develop as a player in a short amount of time.
“This opportunity only came about because of the course I am on at Sandwell College in partnership with The Albion Foundation"
The Albion Foundation Under-19s Elite Football and Education Programme gives 16 - 18 year olds the opportunity to represent West Bromwich Albion and gain nationally-recognised qualifications.
The project is run in partnership with West Bromwich Albion Football Club, Sandwell College and Smethwick Xercise4Less.
Football Overview
Students will represent Albion in the FA National Football Youth League against sides such as Chelsea, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.
The competition is exclusively for development teams from Premier League and Football League clubs, meaning the football experience is as close to academy football as possible.
Home games are played at Albion’s Academy, ensuring scholars develop their football skills in a first-class environment.
Training
Students will train up to seven times per week, focusing on their technical, tactical and analytical skills with full-time UEFA A and B qualified coaches.
Each player will receive official Albion training kit, with sessions mirroring the fitness and training schedule of players at professional academies.
Performance and Match Analysis
Using footage recorded by FilmMyMatch, students will have the opportunity to watch back fixtures for detailed analysis with the coaching team.
Strength and Conditioning
With the physical demands placed on players in football, elements of training place emphasis on physical development in an effort to transfer improvements from the gym to pitch.
The strength and conditioning coach develops the players’ physical capacity in the state of the art Xercise4Less facilities.
Physiotherapist
Players will have a physiotherapist to support them with injuries and rehabilitation training plans to speed up recovery back to full fitness.
Nutrition
The participants will receive advice on nutritional regimes that will allow for optimal performance to assist preparation and recovery from training and games, including guest masterclasses.
Education Overview
Delivered at The Hawthorns, the academic programme allows students to be inspired while they develop the essential skills, knowledge and qualifications required to progress into a career in sport and leisure, either directly, or through higher education.
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sport is a refreshing and challenging vocational course delivered by Sandwell College’s fully-qualified and experienced tutors.
Classes are delivered over a period of two years and provide a mixture of theory and practical sessions assessed through external exams, observed practical assessments, written reports, presentations, discussions, case studies and workbooks.
The course is equivalent to three A Levels, which means upon completion of the course students can choose whether to pursue employment or go into higher education.
Scholars will also be given the opportunity to gain an FA Level 1 in Football Coaching.
Career Opportunities
Potential career pathways include, but are not limited to:
– Sports coaching
– Sports science
– Physiotherapy
– Sports medicine
– Personal training
– Sports journalism
Entry Requirements
Minimum of 5 GCSEs including both/either GCSE English or GCSE Maths.
For more details please complete the form below
CONTACT
Lawrence Roberts
WBA Academy (Sport Hall),
Halfords Lane,
West Bromwich,
B71 4LG