Bishop Burton College footballers selected for the England Colleges Football Association National Team
5 Dec 2023 | College
Bishop Burton College is excited to announce that two of their prestigious Football Academy players have been selected to compete in England Colleges Football Association (ECFA) National Team squad.
The talented footballers, Adam Stockhill and Jacob Hill, both second year Sport students at the college, earned their places on the 20-man squad following two phases of rigorous trials. Representing the college in the England Colleges national team, which has been operating for 25 years is a privilege and players have to be nominated to try out. The national teams enable young footballers to perform at an international level, representing their country at domestic and international fixtures.
Jacob said “It’s such an honour to have been selected from some of the best college footballers in the country. It was amazing to be nominated and then to be selected from over 200 students to play on the squad is fantastic.”
This exciting selection follows hot on the heels of the Bishop Burton Academy team becoming national champions in the English Schools Football Association (ESFA) Super League National Cup and the England Colleges Football Association (ECFA) Category 1 League last season. Adam and Jacob, who were both part of the winning national championship squads, joined Bishop Burton last summer from grassroots clubs.
Director of Football at the College, James Bennett, who nominated the pair said “Adam and Jacob have both done tremendously well since joining the football academy. Their hard-work and commitment means they have matured and developed significantly as players and it’s fantastic to see this dedication rewarded with this national selection. For Adam and Jacob to make the final squad is fantastic and everyone at the college is extremely proud of their achievement”.
Adam and Jacob will now undertake an exciting season of matches. The pair’s first fixture on the national team was against Future Elite Sport XI on Sunday 26 November, where the team won a decisive 4-1 victory. Their second outing is against Independent Schools FA at St George’s Park on 13 and 14 December as part of a two-day training camp; and Adam and Jacob will fly out to Italy at the end of February as part of an international tournament.
Adam said of his experience so far “It was brilliant competing for my country and to win our opening match was just amazing. I’m really excited for the coming season and can’t wait to play in our next game.”
The college’s successful Football Academy is part of a wider Sports Academy offering which enables students to work with professional performance coaches and play at a national level. The college is now looking for new talented players to join the football academy in September 2024. For more information on how to apply please email james.bennett@bishopburton.ac.uk
Fancy following in Adam and Jacob's footsteps? Take a look at our Sports courses.
