Loughborough College is marking the first official birthday of its Loughborough Academy of Sport after a year of outstanding performance.
In the space of only 12 months the number of A-level and BTEC College students participating in high performance sport and competition with the Academy representing at professional, semi-professional, England or international level has tripled from six to 24 and the number qualifying for Association of Colleges Sport National Championships has rocketed from 29 to 72.
“As far as expectations go for the first year as the official Loughborough Academy of Sport, I think even the word ‘exceeded’ does not do it justice.
“The stats, the silverware and, more importantly, the individual journeys that some of these student-athletes have accomplished this year seem endless and I am really proud of the staff and the students for their dedication,” said Loughborough College Sport Development Manager Rob Jarram.
“This presents an opportunity to get an outstanding education alongside a full-time training programme as part of one of our Academy squads or on our individual athlete programme. The fact that we have blown the average statistic for young people successfully progressing into professional and semi-professional sport out of the water is a huge demonstration of what we are achieving through our Academy of Sport provision.”
The Academy’s women’s rugby squad took the AoC Sport 2018 National championship title and became Rosslyn Park 2018 National Champions, while individual honours included players representing England under 20s and under 18s and Senior GB sevens and appearing at senior professional first team level for Loughborough Lightning in the Tyrells Premier League.
In the men’s rugby union programme, Loughborough became the first college in the UK to launch an innovative men’s sevens programme and the squad has links to Olympic and England programmes. The elevens side includes an England Lions capped player and no fewer than six have received either Super League or Championship League contracts. The rugby team’s players make up 75% of the South England Colleges squad and this year saw the Academy side record the most wins ever in a season in the programme’s history.
The academic year has seen the Academy basketball team became 2018 AoC sport national finalists, County Cup champions and AoC league champions while both the men’s and women’s volleyball squads each became AoC Sport Regional champions.
In Academy women’s football, the squad played in the highest performance league for college competition and became ECFA Supplementary National Cup champions and AoC national championship finalists. Seven players are also part of women’s super league and premier league first team squads and the England Colleges squad included seven of its players.
The past year has seen the highest ever recorded numbers playing men’s football at Loughborough College with teams winning games against professional and semi-professional clubs as part of the National Alliance League, the highest standard league in college football. The year has also seen successful continuing and launching partnerships with semi-professional Loughborough Dynamo and with the International Futsal Academy and States Soccer Scholarships.
Pictured: Loughborough College’s Academy of Sport has seen outstanding performances in its official launch year