Badgers hunt talented teens

Eastwood Town are launching an Academy style footballing education programme and hunting for their first crop of talented teenagers.

The Badgers join a growing list of Evo-Stik Northern Premier League clubs already running or planning full-time educational courses for 16 to 18-year-olds with aspirations of developing a football career alongside their academic studies.

The Evo-Stik NPL Premier club's project will run in partnership with an independent training provider and kicks off at Coronation Park at the start of the new season in August. Players on the two year courses will have the opportunity to study for a range of nationally recognised qualifications including BTEC in Sport Levels 1, 2 or 3, FA Coaching qualifications, Sports Leadership, Functional Skills, Fitness Instruction and Personal Training.

Headed by current Derby County Academy coach Justin Walker, the former England Youth and Nottingham Forest star, the full-time programme will see students train daily and receive up to 12 hours football development time per week.

Along with playing competitive fixtures in the English Colleges FA League and the chance to play for the Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division Badgers, students will also get the opportunity to tour and earn footballing scholarships to the USA.

Recognising that many players will eventually see alternative careers outside sport, organisers say their focus will be on combining academic studies with the individual development of players. To ensure youngsters are equipped to seek alternative career pathways, they say they'll be offered realistic and well balanced advice and guidance.

Walker, who is holding open training sessions at Coronation Park next month on consecutive Wednesdays starting on the March 20, said the Badgers aim to replicate the same learning environment at professional clubs and at the same time put the club at the heart of their community.

He said: "We hope that the supporters club and local business community will all get behind the programme. We aim to inspire young people and ensure that the club becomes the hub of the community and offers a support network for education, employment and personal development.

"Instead of attending a local college to study sport, the same academic course will be delivered at the club, every day during the week. By combining this with professional training and weekly matches all individuals will be able to have the best of both worlds with regards to full-time education and football development."

Walker added: "I know that the last year or so has been a really difficult period for everyone associated with Eastwood Town Football Club so I’m absolutely delighted to be positively involved with helping the club to develop an Academy style football and education programme.

"The Academy will become an integral part of the club’s future business plan and success, the Chairman is working extremely hard behind the scenes to stabilise the clubs longer term sustainability but developing young players capable of representing the First Team squad will help to provide fresh impetus for everyone involved with the club."