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Students Work With Chelsea FC

Physical and Sport Education undergraduates from St Mary’s University College, Twickenham have been selected to facilitate Chelsea Football Club’s groundbreaking ‘Search for an Asian Soccer Star 2010’. The twenty-five students will work as coaches for the participants and help to oversee the identification tests throughout the various stages of the competition.

It is the second year running that Chelsea Football Club have approached St Mary’s undergraduates to participate in the scheme. Michael Ayres, lecturer in Physical and Sport Education, said: "This is a great experience for the students, who get to work in a world class sporting environment as part of a fantastic social inclusion project.

"It also gives them a chance to put into practice some of the skills and knowledge that they have learnt in their degree programme. Rarely do you get to be involved in a project as innovative and ground breaking as this. The University and in particular the Physical and Sport Education degree programme is looking forward to being involved again next year."

Chelsea football club will be working in connection with The Asian Media Group and Kick it Out to search for players from Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi backgrounds aged 8-13 yrs old. Participants will be judged on a series of matches and tests specifically designed and used by the Chelsea Academy to examine speed, skill and ability.

One player from each age group will then be selected for a week’s training with the Chelsea Academy squads during the Summer of 2010. Any player who meets the required standard will then be offered the chance to be signed by Chelsea.