Chesham United are delighted to announced that they have joined the Southern League Football Academy (SLFA) – the brand new education and football academy of the Evo-Stik South.
An Education and Football Academy side for 16-18 year olds will be created at Chesham United and play in the SLFA with opportunities to play in the FA Youth Cup from September 2019. The SLFA is the sister programme of the impressive NPL Football Academy (NPLFA) for fellow step seven league – The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League – and we are now on the lookout for talented and committed young footballers who are eager to take their first steps to a career in the semi-professional game and more importantly study to earn educational qualifications.
The Chesham United Academy is a full-time course which is an alternative to college where students will study for a BTEC in Sport at Level 2 or Level 3 (Diploma and Extended Diploma available which is the equivalent to two/three A Levels) which will be delivered by a tutor in the mornings before a UEFA qualified football coach will train the students in the afternoons as well as manage the side on Wednesday afternoons against fellow SLFA sides such as AFC Dunstable, Frome Town and Swindon Supermarine. All games will take place at the main grounds of all the Evo-Stik South clubs involved and filmed for analysis with the weekly highlights show that is published every Friday evening.
It’s sister programme – the NPLFA – has been a huge success on and off the pitch with over 750 students enrolling over the past four years and many of those progressing onto university, scholarships in the US, the programmes own sports degree course or employment and as of October 2018, fifty students have progressed to their respective first teams with two students progressing to the professional game and that success will now be implemented in the South.
By being a part of Chesham United there are genuine pathways to play for the first team and with the football programme being held between Monday and Friday, students will still be able to play for their local junior sides at the weekend.
Vice Chairman, Mike Dragisic commented: “These are exciting times for the club, and joining the Southern League Football Academy is an integral part of the long-term plan to make the club sustainable and develop our own crop of first team players from the pool of talent that exists in the local area, whilst still offering an educational programme that will help the students develop and provide them with a qualification to take forward with them in life. In partnering with the SLFA we have the confidence that we are backed by a well-managed, financially stable organisation and in return we are supporting the Southern League’s initiative which is a real positive step in developing football at our level.”
There is a maximum of twenty-two places available for the Chesham United Academy with trials to be arranged in October 2018, December 2018, February 2019, April 2019 and May 2019.
The first trial will take place on THURSDAY 25TH OCTOBER, from 10.30AM – 12PM at CHESHAM UNITED FC, THE MEADOW, AMY LANE, CHESHAM, HP5 1NE.
Trialists will need to bring full training kit (your own), shin pads, boots suitable for grass surface, trainers for the gym and a drink.
To register your interest in the Academy, please complete the application form at theslfa.co.uk/register
For more information on the SLFA, please visit the following sites:-
www.facebook.com/SLFAcademy
www.twitter.com/SLFAcademy
www.instagram.com/SLFAcademy
