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New Crusaders Football Academy announced in partnership with Belfast Met

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Published: 17 January 2022

Crusaders Football Club has announced its Full-time Football Academy based at Seaview Stadium in partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College, with a Virtual Information Night taking place Wednesday 19th January, 7pm via Eventbrite .

Click here to register for the event. 

This exciting new Academy will provide a Level 3 qualification with course options in Sport, Business, Event Management and Media. The Academy provides a fantastic opportunity for students to gain a qualification and offers educational pathways with Belfast Metropolitan College and Ulster University. The Academy is open to males & females with all students completing their placements with Crusaders Football Club and their partners. 

Participants will be given employment opportunities with Crusaders FC and their partners which will give students vital work experience to learn new skills to prepare them for the world of work.

Ronnie Millar, Chairman at Crusaders FC said “Crusaders Football Club are delighted to be working with Belfast Metropolitan College on this exciting new project. The Crusaders Football Academy will create a pathway for elite footballers, male & female, with access to quality teaching & learning in subject areas of choice. We look forward to developing our relationship with the college with the addition of other community education projects at Seaview”.

Sharon Rivers, Head of Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion at Belfast Met is delighted with the new Crusaders Football Academy at Belfast Met and is looking forward to the programme starting with students. She highlighted: “This really is a ground-breaking football academy which brings together the football success and employability skills opportunities afforded by Crusaders FC with the extensive education experience and learner success of Belfast Metropolitan College. She added: ”This academy will afford young aspiring footballers a truly unique opportunity to choose to study from a range of internationally recognised full time level 3 qualifications, including Sport. We are delighted to be the education partner of choice for Crusaders FC in this new venture.”

Fiona Dempsey, Head of Belfast Business School at Belfast Met, confirmed: “Here at the Business School, we are very excited to welcome Crusaders Football Academy students with the opportunity to gain a Level 3 qualification in Event Management or Business. The students will have endless opportunities to put these newly acquired skills to use during their time at Crusaders and into a lifelong career.”

Ian McCormick, Head of Creative and Digital Industries at Belfast Met, added: “We are delighted to be supporting this innovative academy programme with opportunities for participants to obtain a Level 3 qualification in Creative Media Production.  This will allow academy students to develop skills in content production for both social media and broadcast platforms and gain wider digital skills to support their career choices.”
Applications for the Crusaders Football Academy and other courses with Belfast Metropolitan College will open on 25th January 2022.

Pictured (L-R):
Back: Stephen Small (Elite Soccer Coach, Belfast Metropolitan College), Stephen Baxter (Manager, Crusaders FC) & Natalie Thompson (Strength & Conditioning Coach, Belfast Metropolitan College)
Front: Mark Langhammer (Vice-Chair, Crusaders FC) & Louise Warde-Hunter (Principal & Chief Executive, Belfast Metropolitan College)



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