American football academy set to touch down in town
NFL ACADEMY PLAYERS TO STUDY
SOME of the UK’s best American footballers are coming to Loughborough.
The National Football League’s NFL Academy will relocate to Loughborough College and Loughborough University for the start of the 2022-23 academic year.
Set up in 2019 and currently at Barnet and Southgate College in London, the NFL Academy provides students aged 16 to 19 with pathways into employment, further education and the opportunity to play NCAA college football in the United States, by combining full-time education with professional-level American football coaching.
From September, all football and academic operations will move to Loughborough.
The college will provide coaching, education, accommodation and pastoral support to its cohort of players, while the university will provide performance staff and facilities to focus on the physical development of students.
“Barnet and Southgate College has been an excellent partner in getting the academy established, and we are now very excited about the opportunity to further develop both the academic and athletic offering in a move to Loughborough,” said Brett Gosper, NFL head of Europe and UK.
”Operating at an elite athletic performance centre with a global reputation, combined with the excellent classroom offering, gives the students the greatest chance of future achievement in all fields.
“It will allow us to achieve our aim of creating life-changing opportunities for young people through the sport of American football.”
Professor Nick Jennings, vicechancellor and president of Loughborough University, said: “By providing this solid foundation in the students’ early sporting careers, we will play a key role in the growth of American football in the UK and around the world.”
Chancellor, Lord (Sebastian) Coe, said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to partner Loughborough, the premier sporting university in the UK, with the NFL, the world’s most valuable sport’s league.
“We look forward to playing a key role in the development of American football and are excited about the opportunity this gives Loughborough to expand our brand and our reputation in the US and globally.”
Jo Maher, principal and chief executive at Loughborough College, said: “With a track record of nurturing and developing elite athletes through high-quality pastoral support and teaching, we cannot wait to welcome our first cohort of students on the NFL pathway.
“This is a golden opportunity for everyone involved to forge a truly impactful and successful academy which creates potential NFL stars of the future and it’s one we’re delighted to be part of.”
AT COLLEGE AND UNIVESITY