B&FC and AFC Fylde Under 18’s Football Academy

Do you aspire to play for a real football club?

B&FC and AFC Fylde are recruiting for 16-18 year olds to join their

Football Academy starting 7 September 2015. Anybody interested in

taking part in this programme can attend an open trial session on

Wednesday 26th August from 10am at the Sports Centre at

Blackpool and The Fylde College.

The academy combines a full-time sports, fitness and exercise Study

Programme at an Ofsted Outstanding College, with the opportunity to

develop and play football with a real conference team.

The academy is designed to develop players’ abilities both on and off the

pitch by teaching them a range of sport and fitness skills, as well as

improving footballing techniques with the help of professional and

experienced coaches.

All prospective players/students will be required to go through a

recruitment and selection process where they will take part in a number

of trials carried out by AFC Fylde Coaches to determine their football

abilities and levels. They will also need to attend an interview with

the Sports Team at Blackpool and The Fylde College to ensure the

correct study programme pathway is selected based on prior learning,

experience and entry qualifications/ grades. To be accepted onto the

AFC Fylde and B&FC Football Academy you must be successful in

both the performance and academic recruitment processes.

There are still plenty of opportunities for students to study sport

at B&FC and play football for the College if you are not

accepted onto the academy programme.

The Courses

Students will have the option of the following study programmes:

Level 2 Sports, Fitness and Exercise Study Programme

City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Sport

Entry requirements

4 GCSEs at grades D or above including English or Maths plus one C

or Level 1 at Merit level or above and a D in English or Maths.

You will cover a range of sports and fitness elements including

anatomy, fitness testing and injury prevention. You will also complete

a Functional Skills or GCSE programme in English and Maths as

well as a period of work experience.

Level 3 Sports, Fitness and Exercise Study Programme

BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Sport (2 A Levels)

Entry requirements

5 GCSEs at grades C or above including English or Maths or a Level 2

qualification at Merit level or above and either a grade C in GCSE

English or Maths. You will cover a range of Sports and Fitness

elements including Anatomy, Fitness Testing, Nutrition, Talent ID,

Gym Instructing, Sports Coaching and Injury Prevention. You will also

complete a Functional Skills or GCSE programme in English and Maths

as well as a period of work experience.

Level 3 EXTENDED Sports, Fitness and Exercise Study Programme

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport (3 A Levels)

Entry requirements

5 GCSEs at grades C or above including English and Maths.

You will cover a range of sports and fitness elements including sports

massage and therapy, anatomy, fitness testing, nutrition, talent ID,

psychology, sports development, gym instructing, sports coaching and injury

prevention. You will also complete a developmental programme in English

and Maths as well as a period of work experience.

AFC Fylde

AFC Fylde currently plays in the Vanarama Conference North and have

great ambitions to progress into the Football League within the next few

seasons. They are in the process of developing a new ground ‘Mill Farm’

just off the M55. AFC Fylde realise the importance of being involved

in youth football to develop the players of the future. Players who

take up places on the academy programme will represent AFC Fylde

in the Conference Youth Alliance (North Division) and will play against teams

such as Crewe Alexandra, Macclesfield Town, FC Halifax Town, Gateshead,

FC United of Manchester, Altrincham and Guiseley. Games will be played o

n Wednesday afternoons, with home games being played at Kellamergh

Park, the current home pitch of AFC Fylde First team.

Academy students will also have the opportunity to represent AFC Fylde

Academy in the North West Youth Alliance. Games are played on a Sunday

afternoon with home games taking place at Blackpool and The Fylde College

on the brand new, state of the art 3G pitch facility. We hope players will

progress to represent AFC Fylde Development Squad and further on into the

First Team.

Students will also have the opportunity to represent and gain County

and International honours. AFC Fylde currently has no fewer than eleven

players in the Lancashire County Squad and two players that represented

England last season and we hope you could be the next.

Alongside this, Academy players have also trialled at Barnsley FC, Blackburn

Rovers and Southampton FC this season and the club has a fantastic

reputation in producing young players of great quality.

The timetable will include football training on a Monday, Tuesday and

Thursday, alongside conditioning sessions, fitness work and sports

therapy sessions. 

The coaches overseeing the programme are AFC Fylde first team player

Matthew Blinkhorn and B&FC Programme Leader and Sports Lecturer

Mark Westhead.

All players will be required to purchase a full B&FC and AFC Fylde Training Kit at

a cost of £75. 

For more information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact Matt Barr

(Curriculum Manager for Sports at Blackpool and The Fylde College)

on 01253 504194 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.