Students from the Chelsea FC Foundation Coaching & Development degree at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (SMU) had an incredible experience supporting the Reece James Cup at Chelsea FC’s Cobham Training Ground.
The inaugural under-15s tournament, named in honour of current Men’s Captain Reece James, saw Chelsea, Rangers, Feyenoord, and Strasbourg compete across a weekend of exciting football.
The students, who are all currently studying at SMU, played a pivotal role in the smooth running of the tournament as team liaisons.
Student Freddie Frost said, “It was very insightful to see how Academy staff work, which has inspired me to pursue a career in Academy football even more. It was fantastic to get to know the players, and the coaches were inspiring to observe.”
Fellow student Ellie Luscombe added, “Working closely with players and staff from other countries was great, and opened my eyes to different football cultures. I gained a lot of knowledge and confidence from this experience.”
Alex Cattini, Course Lead at St Mary’s University, said “It was amazing to see our students supporting this fantastic event. Our students represented the degree impeccably, and received superb feedback from staff and players alike. We are very grateful to the Academy at Chelsea for providing these opportunities.”
Chelsea FC Foundation Coaching & Development degree allows students to study a wide variety of modules that gives a unique insight into the world of football, as well as valuable work placements across a variety of programmes.