Aston Villa Women are committed to supporting our student athletes in pursuing dual careers. Throughout the pathway from our Academy into the Women’s First Team, athletes do not have to choose between playing football and their education. Here is just some of the work we are doing through our designated Education Lead, Layla Salter:
Under-16s Day Release
In our Day Release Programme, student athletes keep on top of their studies in Independent Learning Sessions which take place in a purpose-built spacious classroom. The day is structured in order to facilitate extra training and contact time on the pitch, so that we can continue to develop some of the best young players in the country.
In order to ensure our student athletes stay on track with their education, we liaise closely with the Football Association, schools and parents/carers in a number of staggered checkpoints throughout the year. This enables us to give our student athletes the best help and guidance in pursuing the club’s dual-career model.
DiSE
In the 'Diploma in Sporting Excellence', our Academy players gain 64 UCAS points by participating in weekly sessions organised through our Education Lead and Loughborough College. The aim of our DiSE provision is to nurture elite student athletes who will transition into the First Team squad.
Our athletes benefit from regular one-to-ones with our Psychology and Lifestyle Lead, and a Nutrition expert, as well as our links with a number of other organisations and initiatives that support our players holistically.
Collaborative Work
We work closely with a number of schools, colleges, and Universities offering a range of qualifications and courses that fit alongside our student athletes’ busy training schedules. This collaboration means our athletes have a variety of exciting and viable careers paths open to them from a young age. Here are just some of our partners:
- Arthur Terry School
- Bishop Walsh School
-
Sutton Coldfield College – Part of BMET
Testimonials
Parent of an Under-16 and WSL Academy player
"With each of them also at critical points with their education this was an important factor in their choice of club. We cannot be but complementary of the support they have both received. One of them benefits from the unique opportunity of the Day Release programme that Aston Villa introduced this season so that she can not only study at the Club, but can get extra training in which will support her to join the Academy after her GCSEs. Our other daughter is a first-year student at the University of Birmingham and the club have worked with her and the University so that she can maximise both training time and study time."
Under-16 Player
"I feel privileged to be a part of one of the first Day Release programmes within the women’s game. It’s provided me with extra individual support which has ultimately enabled me to focus on becoming a better player. The combination of this with having time to do my school work, means I am not missing out on my learning, whilst I have the extra time to improve as a footballer. Ultimately it has enabled me to integrate into the Academy team’s training sessions much earlier in my playing career and look forward to playing for the Academy as soon as I turn sixteen."
