Football and Education students at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) are celebrating after winning the Community & Education Alliance Central One League.
The team of BSDC learners undertake the Football and Education programme in partnership with Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT), a programme designed to guide males and females aged 16-19 through their journey as student athletes. The course combines practical and theory-based approaches to increase an athlete’s performance on the field and increase their knowledge of the wider sporting industry.
Alongside the course, students also represent the College and Burton Albion Community Trust within the EFL Trust National League. The Community & Education Football Alliance (CEFA) is a football competition run for EFL Club Community Organisations, featuring teams representing Premier League and EFL Clubs across the country.
The boys first-team stormed to victory in the Central one league, losing just one game throughout the whole season and scoring 60 goals. The team also came third in the AoC National Championships in April after winning the regional finals.
Football Development Manager, Ben Webster said: “We are really proud of the boys for winning their Central One division this year. The boys have performed outstanding on the pitch, but also in the classroom, with their effort and application at college. Recent successes of four of the boys playing regularly in the academy U19s, and some of the second years securing scholarships in America, show the strength of the football provision the coaching staff have offered this year”.
The team are set to lift the trophy at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 18th May. Central Midfielder, Fran Blake commented: “Being part of the team that won the league title is a good feeling; we’re all buzzing! I think our success this season is because of our team morale; we support each other and play well together. The Football and Education Programme at BSDC has been great – your time gets split between college classes, football training at Burton Albion Community Trust and playing in matches.
“After completing the course, I’m going to study sports business management in America and will also be playing football while I’m there on a scholarship. My aspirations for after that are to do football coaching, one-to-ones or personal training.”
Lee Mitchell, Director of Curriculum at Burton and South Derbyshire College added: “Effective collaboration between the college and BACT allows learners on the Football & Education programme to succeed in both their academic and athletic aspirations.
“The college are proud supporters and would like to congratulate all three of our teams on performing so well during the 23/24 season. The year has witnessed many success stories, concluding with the outstanding achievement of the boys first-team being crowned CEFA Central One League Champions!”
