The NPL Football Academy (NPLFA) is delighted to announce that Warrington Town student Dylan Emery-Woods is progressing onto the NPLFA’s ‘Undergraduate Sports Degree’ in partnership with Loughborough College.
Starting this September, the NPLFA are offering two types of blended learning courses that will last three years – a BSc in Sports Coaching to gain valuable work experience at a semi-professional club while obtaining coaching qualifications and a BSc in Sports Management covering the football industry and a host of cross-transferable skills.
The talented Yellows’ midfielder becomes one of the first students to graduate from the BTEC to Degree course and is looking forward to embarking on another three years with the NPLFA.
“After already being part of the of the NPLFA set up for the past two years studying my BTEC in Sport qualification, I loved being part of the programme. I learnt and achieved a lot both practically and academically so for me there was no other choice.
“After all the stress of applying for the course, it will be nice to just crack on, get my head down and also start a new season with the academy lads.”
The youngster has already gained coaching experience at the football club helping out on their soccer schools over the last two years and is looking to progress further in this field, “I would love to get involved in management in some form at a football club at any level. By doing this degree as well as the coaching badges I have achieved and the ones I hope to option, I believe that my ambitious dream can become a reality due to the windows of opportunity that this degree opens up.
“Another option is a career in sports managing after already being given an insight last year on the BTEC course, I find that sports marketing is something I would find interesting as well as being a career I would thoroughly enjoy”
Dylan has had a tough time with injuries over his two years at the academy, but has shown great strength to come back each time “Coming back from an injury which I had sustained a year before beginning the programme, many medical professionals, as well as myself believed that the injury would stop me from playing all together.
“This made me doubtful about playing for the academy however, after joining in with sessions and experiencing life as a coach whilst gaining knowledge, allowed me to get back on the pitch and even allowed me to play for 90 minutes in spells. The NPLFA and Warrington were aware of my injury, listened to me, gave me advice. I’m currently in rehab and feeling the best I have ever felt
“I am hoping to be back playing consistently, so that I can develop from not being able to play at all to being able to play 90 minutes week in, week out, with the guidance and advice from the coach and other members of the academy set up and I can’t wait to see how we develop over the next 3 years!”
Dylan is looking forward to a further three years on the programme after an unforgettable two years so far “The Warrington Town Academy was a very enjoyable and unforgettable 2 years, being a part of this team is like a second family. You train together, learn together and socialise. It is an experience that you wouldn’t see anywhere else!
“The best moment has to be split between my first goal after getting my very first run out in over a year and the moment when our goal keeper was injured and I stepped up to go in, to mine and everybody’s surprise, my performance was good enough in net to earn me a spot in the team of the week!”
With the word getting around that the NPLFA is the place to be, Dylan is encouraging others to take the same path he took two years ago “I currently coach in an under 16s team in my local area, after showing them the NPLFA website, gaining them personal experiences and insights I already have, the parents of many players are asking about open days as they are so keen. I highly recommend the NPLFA as I believe that no other learning institute offers the professional possibilities and pathways that the NPLFA does”
We would like to wish Dylan the very best of luck in his new chapter and throughout the 2017/18 season, we will be bringing you regular updates on Dylan and the rest of the degree students on how they are progressing in their first year.