League Football Education has joined forces with FirstPoint USA to offer a free US Scholarship pathway for LFE apprentices and Community Trust Study Programme learners.
The exclusive partnership will create the opportunity for young footballers to access the student-athlete option in the States at no cost, using the expertise of FirstPoint’s experienced consultants.
Former LFE Academy players and Community Trust learners can access support via FirstPoint’s website, clicking the ‘Athletes Start Here’ button and then competing the form. This will trigger a call from one of three dedicated consultants, who will provide further information and check eligibility.
Seven members of the Compliance & Talent Management Team will also be on hand to manage each young player throughout the recruitment process.
“LFE is delighted to have secured this partnership with FirstPoint USA,” said LFE Transition Officer Anthony Cato. “American Scholarships have proved to be a popular pathway for many Academy footballers over the years and the ability to provide a free-of-charge service to all LFE learners is wonderful.
“It was vitally important for us to bring the expertise of FirstPoint on board to facilitate this transition route for those who intend to continue their playing experience while also gaining an education over in the States. We look forward to working closely with the organisation and helping to offer unique and exciting opportunities for our apprentices.”
FirstPoint USA has placed more than 20,000 scholar-athletes, working with some 2,500 colleges and universities in the US, which are currently recruiting talent for 2020/21.
The agency introduced a new digital platform – accessible via their website – earlier this year to allow all prospective scholar-athletes the opportunity to assess their options and engage with institutions and coaches at the touch of a button and no cost.
More than 2,000 US universities and 56,000 coaches are already registered to the service ahead of the next wave of scholarships, commencing from Autumn 2020.
A recent example of what’s possible on the US scholarship route is Mo Adams, who was released by Derby County in 2015 and is now an MLS star – mixing with the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Frank de Boer – via a scholarship at Syracuse University in New York State.
For any queries on this pathway, please contact Anthony Cato, LFE Transition Officer – [email protected].
