Courtesy: Hull Daily Mail


Hull City course offers teenagers chance to have career in football

Thursday, May 31, 2012

TEENAGERS are being offered a rare chance to forge a footballing career with a new course launched by Hull City.

The club is taking part in a scholarship scheme that will give 16 and 17-year-olds the chance to gain coaching qualifications and training in futsal.

The scholarship includes a full-time education package which will result in a BTEC level three extended diploma in sport, which is worth three A-levels.

Hull City were approached by the Football League Trust to take part following a successful pilot scheme.

The club's community football manager Dan Nicholson believes it could be a great career opportunity.

He said: "It is almost like being a football apprentice.

"This is a two-year course which has 44 units covering a broad spectrum from body movement and physiology to coaching.

"By gaining a BTEC Level Three it opens up the chance to study at university or launch a coaching career.

"There will also be a league with other clubs taking part in the scheme, giving those on the course a chance to play futsal for England."

The scholarship also provide opportunities for vocational qualifications, such as level one and two football coaching, level one futsal coach and refereeing.

Mr Nicholson said: "We want to raise the profile of futsal, which also gives lads from the city a chance to try to make the England team.

"Providing an educational side is also very important.

"With the scholarship being linked to Hull City and, with the Euros just round the corner, we hope there will be a lot of interest."

The course is being delivered by the Tigers' Trust in conjunction with Sirius Academy, which has gained the necessary funding.

The course will take place at the KC Stadium.

Learners will have the opportunity to train in futsal for up to eight hours per week with the Tigers Trust coaches, under the direction of the Football League Trust.

Training will be supplemented with fortnightly fixtures against other teams, representing professional clubs, including Leeds Utd and Middlesbrough in the Football League Trust National Futsal League.

Hull already has pedigree in the fast-growing sport.

In 2007, a team from the Grassroots football project triumphed in a Brazilian-style futsal tournament in Spain.

The five-day European tournament not only included sides from Scotland, Spain and Romania, but also invited guests from Gambia and Ecuador.

An open event to learn more about the scholarship will take place on Wednesday at the supporters' bar in the KC Stadium, from 6pm to 7pm.

Visit www.futsalandeducaton.org or e-mail futsal@tigerstrust.co.uk for further information on the scholarship and for an application pack.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com