Arsenal Women are pleased to team up with Oaklands College in St Albans to provide aspiring female footballers with an exciting new football education opportunity.

The new Oaklands College Women’s Football Academy will provide female players, aged 16-19 years old, with the unique opportunity to study a wide variety of courses including A-Level and vocational qualifications, while participating in a high-level football development programme to support the next steps in their football journey.

The programme will have a dual career focus supporting players to fulfil their football potential technically, physically, psychologically & socially while ensuring they also commit to furthering their education.

Those that are invited to join the Women’s Football Academy will be coached by experienced Arsenal Women FC licensed coaches who will be delivering the female football provision at Oaklands College.

Students will receive training with Arsenal Women FC coaches on four afternoons per week while competing in the English Colleges FA league on Wednesday Afternoons. This will include 12 hours of weekly football contact time, while receiving an extensive individualised coaching programme, physiotherapy and weekly strength & conditioning sessions as well as committing to their chosen academic studies.

The new Oaklands College Women’s Football Academy provides another level within the Arsenal Women FC Talent Pathway enabling aspiring young female players to continue their development at all levels of the Women’s game.

As of September 2020, Oaklands College are due to become the Further Education Provider for the Arsenal Women FC FA WSL U21s Academy Programme. Students that are part of the Oaklands College Women’s Football Academy may also be invited to join the Arsenal Women U21s WSL Academy programme if considered to be at the appropriate level.

Oaklands College are further planning significant investment to their facilities, with a state-of-the-art residential facility in construction to provide exemplary on-site accommodation for future Sports Academy students for Summer 2020, as well as a brand new 3G pitch to be completed for October 2019 and a number of brand new grass pitches.

Arsenal Women have previously teamed up with Oaklands College and were one of the first female Football Academies in the UK. The programme at the time was the first of its kind and saw the likes of Kim Little and Jordan Nobbs attend along with many other players that now play across the WSL. Arsenal Women’s Academy Manager, Tessa Payne said “Following the increased profile of the Women’s game since the World Cup, we hope that this renewed association with Oaklands College will provide further opportunities for us to develop and attract talented female footballers to the club while also helping grow the women’s game.”

Anyone interested in joining the Oaklands College Women’s Football Academy, starting this September, can register to trial here

If you wish to register your interest in the Oaklands College Women’s Football Academy for September 2020, please email marketing@oaklands.ac.uk

For more information, please visit www.oaklands.ac.uk/wolves