News

This International Women’s Day, find out more about what inspired our female students to choose Sport, a traditionally male dominated area, and what they hope to achieve in their future careers. Ellen Montgomery

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I felt I needed a change from the school environment and wanted more freedom while studying, all while still being able to achieve top qualifications. I am a very active person with an interest in sports, specifically football and am very fortunate to be able to play and study something I enjoy so much within the Football Academy.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Bringing people from all different social, ethnic and religious backgrounds together and give them a common interest to break down social barriers between different groups. Sports can also offer people many opportunities all over the world and teach people skills which can be used throughout their life such as fair play, teamwork and non-discrimination. Sports puts everyone on a level playing field no matter their background and can create opportunities that wouldn’t be possible for people who for example don’t excel in school but are excellent athletes and have a strong motivation and willingness to learn.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
There are still barriers for women playing sports at the same level as men. An example is lack of access to female sports, there is often no local women’s teams for young girls to join therefore they will never develop an interest in the sport or have the opportunity to learn skills and gain qualifications through it.

I feel the National Sport Associations all over the world should put more money into women’s sport to encourage young girls to develop an interest and unlock a gateway for them into the sporting world that they otherwise wouldn’t get to experience. The same also goes for people of different genders, races and ethnicities- everyone should be given equal opportunities and have the opportunity to participate in sports.

My biggest achievement has been...
Gaining my Level 1 Futsal National Coaching Certificate. This qualification put me out of my comfort zone but was an amazing experience which taught me how to effectively take a quality futsal training session. It improved my knowledge in futsal and gave me more self-confidence to be able to deliver a good session and talk confidently in-front of others.

My future goals are...
To go to university and study something within the sports field. I would then like to gain a job within the sporting industry weather it is coaching, physiotherapy or business in sport.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
I would highly recommend Belfast Met to anyone considering it. You have more freedom than what a school offers, while still having all the help and guidance you need to achieve a high standard of work. You get the opportunity to gain so many qualifications and experiences which will help you going forward with university or job applications something that wouldn’t be available within school. Belfast Met also offers the opportunity to become more independent and socialise with many different kinds of people from all backgrounds that you otherwise wouldn’t have Met. 


I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I left school because I struggled, and I didn’t feel supported. Here at Belfast Met all my teachers are very supportive and any time that I am struggling they are always there to give me a helping hand. There is less stress and I thrive through the environment that Belfast Met has created for me. I love to play football so to be able to study and play football was a no brainer for me. I get to work on my football skills while gaining a qualification that will help me advance in my education.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Sports should be equal to everyone it shouldn’t matter your race, gender or ethnicity. Sports is a great way to relive stress, and nothing should stop someone playing a sport their love. In sports men are seen more and heard more, this needs to change as women’s sports should be equal to men. In football men and women do the same job on the field but women get paid exceedingly less. Men football is shown and broadcasted often on TV whereas women’s football is rarely shown.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
In the UK, 1.9 million less women take part in sport than men each week. Some of these reasons may be due to lack positive role models - locally and nationally. When growing up my role models were all men but that was due to the lack of coverage in the women’s game. To play football I had to play for a boys’ team as there wasn’t very any teams for me to join.

My biggest achievement has been...
Gaining my coaching badges. By obtaining these badges, it enables me to coach younger players and from this I aspire to be a role model to the younger generation. These badges have helped boost my confidence and allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. I now regularly coach with the IFA through their camps and their shooting stars programme. I really love to coach and would love to make it my full-time job. By training every day, it has also helped me to improve on the field. I now play for Larne Women 1st team who are now in the premiership league. With the extra training I believe that it has made me a better person on and off the field.

My future aspiration would be to have a full-time job in sport whether that be playing, coaching or having my own business. I would love to play for a team in England and be a full-time professional.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
This environment is the ideal way to help to gain qualifications in a safe and friendly environment. You are able to be yourself and interact with people who share the same interest as you. Belfast Met will help you to reach your full potential and helps to prepare you for the real world. Belfast Met was the best decision for me and I would recommend it to everyone.

Katie Porter

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I decided to study at Belfast Met as I heard the environment was very good and there was less stress on your shoulders comparing to school. I’m a very active person so studying and playing football at Belfast Met is very enjoyable. I did struggle at school and Belfast Met gives you the best support that they can. Belfast Met was a perfect place for me to come and I’m very glad I did.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to play the sports that they love, regardless of gender, race or ethnicity. Today, people still have opinions on women playing sports. We as a society, should except that equal opportunity is needed, women can make a career out of sports, in the same way as men. Women should get paid the same for their ability as men, they should not be treated differently. We can create equal opportunities if everyone comes together puts their egos aside and make society a better place. This will create more love and happiness across the world. Not all will agree, but letting women perform and receive the pay they are worth is important. We all deserve to chase our potential and if that’s being a professional, everyone should have a chance on trying.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
Lack of sufficient teams for people who have a disability. I would like to change the lack of knowledge and understanding on disability sports. There isn’t enough recognition on these sports, by advertising and talking about them more in newspapers, it would encourage more coaches and players to get involved and make it a fun, competitive environment.

My biggest achievement has been...
My biggest achievement in my course is my level 1 grassroots coaching badge. This pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I am very happy that I completed this. This have given me more self-confidence and made me more independent. I’m team player and being independent for my coaching badge was very uncomfortable and stepped me out of my comfort zone.

My future goals are...
To have a job in sport, this could be coaching, playing, or own business in sport.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
I would tell people to study in Belfast Met as the environment is healthy and enjoyable to be in compared to school. You get to socialise and interact with people in the same interested and ability as you. Belfast Met prepares you for the real world than school does. It’s a great opportunity and I am very happy I decided to study at Belfast Met.

Francesca Agnew

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I wanted to see how advanced I could become as a player. I wanted to push myself into becoming one of the best on my squad as I play at the highest level of football currently available to women. When I had seen that the football academy was for boys and girls it was at the top of my list to where I wanted to go post GSCE results day.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
A major barrier in sport that I wish would change is the pay that women footballers receive compared to men. This is the big thing at the minute, and I believe that the pay that women footballers get should be higher as we are just as good as any man.

My biggest achievement has been...
Keeping up with the boys at training. The boys on my course don’t see us as being any different on or off a football pitch. The fact that they include us and treat us as any other player despite the controversy going on about gender is just amazing to be a part of.

My future goal is to play for my country. I aspire to become a professional footballer and be able to put the hard work to use and make something of my name. I strongly believe I can show my talent and play at a higher level.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
For me, studying here is so much better than a school. You have more free time and learning is fun because its useful for your contribution to the sport you study. I’m learning more each day on how to better myself as not only a person but as a player on the field. At Belfast Met you are surrounding yourself with the right people that are aspiring to study the same as you, because of this, you learn so much from being around people with similar goals as you do.

Ashleigh Scott Brown

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
It was the only course I was interested in studying. A friend mentioned Belfast Met had good sports courses and encouraged me to apply, I decided to look and found a course that I would enjoy.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Encouraging people from all backgrounds to take part in sport. Sports can give people from disadvantaged groups opportunities to thrive. It would be great to see more teams creating squads for people with disabilities so they can also take part in sports.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
Lack of transportation, sport should be in places where people can get buses to if they can’t get a lift or drive themselves.

My biggest achievement has been...
Performing well on my coursework, in comparison to school, my grades at Belfast Met have increased.

My future goal is to go to university and find another sports course I’m interested in studying. I would also love to go into coaching at some stage and to continue playing football to get into the 1st team.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
It’s more relaxed and prepares you for after school and university. You also have the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds from what you might be used to. 

Morgan Hanna

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I play football on a regular basis, and I thought this would be a great way to keep my fitness up. Not only that, but I also believed it would challenge me and make me a better player. I’m used to training, however, learning about the body and the way it works when I’m playing football and what sort of food will help my quality of play, has been really interesting.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Bringing divided communities together or people of different race, culture or sexuality. Sport provides a safe place for children, by providing a routine and encouraging them to keep them out of trouble.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
Women not being treated the same as men, although this has improved it is still not at the level it should be women are having to get another pitch to train or play matches because the men’s team is using their pitch. I’d like to see changes so women and men are treated with equal the respect.

Another barrier in sport may be someone’s sexuality. In the men’s games it makes it so much harder for the men to “come out” as they may be afraid of teammates not accepting them, fans mistreating them which can lead to depression or anxiety.

My biggest achievement has been...
Improving my fitness test scores. From I first joined the course to now, I have improved in almost everything which was great to see the course is really helping me.

After this course I would like to go off to university in a different country like America to do a football scholarship and from there hopefully be able to play for a club in England or Scotland and one day play for the Northern Ireland senior women’s team.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
It is a very friendly and caring environment; all of the staff are lovely and approachable and the facilities there are great. They have everything you need, everyone there wants the best for you and will push you to do your best.

Molly Reid

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I liked the idea of training like a professional and achieving 3 A Level grades by completing assignments instead of exams.

Sports can create more equal opportunities in society by...
Bringing communities together and allowing both genders the same chances in the sporting community.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
Women get put into a category of being a “girl” and not strong or athletic enough to be a footballer, I'd like to change that stereotype.

My biggest achievement has been...
Reaching fitness goals and working to get faster and stronger. My future goal is to either become a personal trainer or work in the sporting industry.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
Belfast Met has great opportunities for everyone, you can achieve anything you put hard work and effort into. They will help and support you throughout your course to get grades that could lead into dream job roles.

Aisling Anderson

I decided to study Sport at Belfast Met because...
I wanted to develop my football skills.

Some barriers that exist in sport are...
Sexism. I believe if we work together to stamp out sexism it would be a great first step to equality.

My biggest achievement has been...
Passing all my work and receiving a high grade in my course work. I have also seen an improvement in my confidence playing football. My future goals are to either play football at a high level for a women's team or coach at a high level. The IFA coaching education program at Belfast Met has put me on a path to gain those qualifications.

I would encourage you to study at Belfast Met because...
For me personally, I am getting to play the sport I love while gaining the qualifications to proceed within the sport.