ICD students participate in NIFL Scholarship celebration

SIXTH form students from Integrated College Dungannon and Breda Academy, Belfast; enrolled on the NIFL Scholarship Programme, along with their coaches, teachers, principals, and special guests attended an awards and shirt presentation event at the National Football Stadium.

The NIFL Scholarship Programme is organised by the Football Management Company in association with Integrated College Dungannon and Breda Academy. The programme allows young footballers, who play club football, to participate in a combined educational and footballing programme as sixthfForm students at their respective schools.

Each student, while training with professional coaches and receiving additional strength and conditioning sessions, studies a BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sport. Successful completion of the qualification, which equates to 3 A’ Levels, provides an educational pathway for the students to progress to university, to the world of work or to US Scholarship programmes.

Steven Mills, NIFL Chief Operating Officer, welcomed everyone to the event, congratulating the students, the participating schools, and the Football Management Company on the many achievements of the programme to date.

Northern Ireland international Trai Hume, who completed the Scholarship Programme and was included in the Scholarship Hall of Fame, said “To be able to train five days a week made me a better player and helped me progress at Linfield and get a move to Sunderland.

“I needed those extra sessions and extra gym work to improve as a player. I also got a qualification from it, so I’m very grateful for my time there.”

Director of the NIFL Scholarship Programme, Lee Carroll, praised Integrated College Dungannon and Breda Academy students on their commitment to the football and education programme.

“We wanted to create something in Northern Ireland that meant teenagers didn’t necessarily have to move to England or Scotland for full-time training,” he said.

“It’s all about replicating the full-time experience. Thirty-eight players from the Scholarship Programme have gone on to make first team debuts at NIFL clubs, while Trai is our first international.”.

The Mid-Ulster campus for sixth form students of Integrated College Dungannon opened at Dungannon United Youth, in 2020 and College Principal, Mr Andrew Sleeth, was delighted that, ICD student and Dungannon Swifts’ player, Ethan McGee, was inducted into the Hall of Fame also.

Interviewed at the event by his former teacher, Mark Patton, Ethan said, “My plan is to become a PE teacher and my qualification will allow me to go to university and study for that. I want to do that alongside playing Irish League football. This course is good preparation for both.”

Mr Sleeth congratulated Ethan on his success.

“Ethan was an exemplary student and is a force on the football field. I am delighted that he has chosen to progress on both an educational and sporting pathway,” he added.

Other former students of the NIFL Scholarship Programme, at Breda Academy, to receive Hall of Fame Awards were Glentoran striker Kirk McLaughlin and Linfield goalkeeper, David Walsh.

A presentation of shirts to Breda Academy students took place with Mr Paul Perry, Principal of Breda Academy, and Michael Dougherty, Head of NIGK Institute, who support the development of goalkeepers, completing the presentation.

The presentation to ICD sixth form students on the NIFL Scholarship Programme took place with College Principal, Mr Andrew Sleeth, and former Man United and NI international goalkeeper, Roy Carroll presenting the shirts to each student.

The event ended, as one would expect, with matches between NIFL Belfast and Mid-Ulster at Midgely Park and Olympia FC.

NI Football League club players completing GCSEs this year who are interested in progressing to the NIFL Scholarship Programme, at either the Mid-Ulster Campus or at the National Football Stadium, can find out more by visiting www.footballmanagementcompany.uk or by emailing lee@footballmanagmentcompany.com .