NFL Academy Recruits Touchdown in Loughborough

This weekend, sixty upcoming NFL Academy athletes were welcomed to Loughborough College for a four week Training Camp. Athletes will get to know the team and coaches, gain exciting experiences with the NFL Academy facilities available in Loughborough, and face international teams as part of a global tournament.

Kicking off this past Sunday, athletes settled into to The Gables, the College’s Ofsted rated Outstanding dedicated student accommodation, before exploring the campus and learning more about life in the NFL Academy. This was led by newly appointed NFL UK Head Coach, Steve Hagen, NFL Academy Head, Lamonte Winston, and the wider NFL Academy team. Learners also had the opportunity to find out more about life at Loughborough College, learn about the College’s extensive wellbeing programme, and meet with student therapy dogs, Mylie and Dusty.

Director of NFL Academy, Alison Wyeth said, “The NFL Academy camp is a fast-paced real-life introduction to the life of student-athlete American Football players. The camp is a fantastic opportunity for players to develop their skills both on and off the field, to make new friends and learn what it takes to be a dual career athlete with aspirations to play football in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).”

For the first three weeks, athletes will experience life as an NFL Academy player, with daily on-field training at the Loughborough University-based Holywell Stadium, alongside regular leadership development workshops, which are part of a holistic approach to encourage learners to set targets, reflect, and grow into their careers.

Rounding off the four-week schedule will be an exciting visit to the former home of the historic Leinster Rugby Club, Energia Park, Dublin. As part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament, athletes will have the chance to showcase their skills in a thrilling game against Pennsylvania based team, Bonner and Prendie.

Liam Wild, NFL Academy Programme Manager, shared, “The trip to Dublin will be a fantastic opportunity for our young players to demonstrate what they’ve learnt with us and start to develop a reputation on a global stage. We are all looking forward to seeing how the athletes evolve over the next few weeks, and we always appreciate the chance to go head-to-head with international teams”

The NFL Academy moved its operations to Loughborough in 2022 in a partnership with the College and University which provides high-quality coaching with elite education, accommodation, and pastoral care to its players in the sporting heart of Leicestershire. The dual-career pathway model enables athletes to combine world-class athletics with excellent educational opportunities in order to forge a career within football and beyond. More information about the NFL Academy and Loughborough can be found here.