Four students from Greenfield Community College have joined another 20 young people who have signed up for an exciting new course starting this summer.
The brand new BTEC sports course in Newton Aycliffe is already proving hugely popular with young people in the town, with more than 20 already enrolled.
There are still about five places available for the course, which will give young people in Aycliffe the chance to study sports development for the first time as part of an exciting new two-year course in the town.
Greenfield students Joe Stott, Jack Mclaren, Harry Maxfield and Sarah Gash are pictured with former professional footballers Martin Gray and Brian Atkinson, who will be delivering the new BTEC in partnership with Greenfield and Darlington College.
“We all can’t wait to start it,” said Sarah.
“This is the first opportunity of this kind in Aycliffe and we’re all really excited about it and looking forward to working with Martin, Brian and their team.”
The two-year Level 3 Diploma, equivalent to 3 ‘A’ Level qualifications, will cover a variety of areas including physiology, sports coaching, nutrition and sports performance, and will provide scholars with a route to university as well as enhance their footballing ability.
The qualification will enable them to go on to study a degree in Health and Fitness or Sports Coaching, providing career pathways within the sports industry, health and fitness, sports development and coaching sectors.
Gray and his team, including former Sunderland and Darlington midfielder Atkinson, will work with Greenfield College’s teaching staff to deliver the course, beginning September 2012.
Atkinson will coach the scholars every morning at Greenfield’s state-of-the-art 3G football facility before they head to the Excel Centre’s education suites for afternoon tutorials with the Greenfield PE team.
Gray, who also works as Greenfield’s director of football, said: “This is a unique course in that it’s the first of its kind being made available in Newton Aycliffe and surrounding areas.
“There are still about five places available, so anyone interested needs to get in quick.”
Applicants must gain at least five GCSEs (grade C or above) to be eligible for the course, and can get more details, and apply, at www.martingrayfootballacademy.co.uk
■ Pictured is – Back: Jack Mclaren, Martin Gray, Brian Atkinson; Front: Joe Stott, Sarah Gash and Harry Maxfield.
