“We all know the statistics around boys making it into professional football, so therefore it is very, very important we focus on developing them as individuals as well as young footballers.”
Those are the words of Chris Adamson, head of academy, education and player care at Everton. Over the course of a season his department will deal with dozens of schools - often more than 100, in fact. Chats with teachers and progress sessions with parents and guardians are all part of the work done by the club to try and ensure football is not disrupting the education of those on their books.
Chris and his team’s role is an important one. School is a challenge for everyone and he is well aware youngsters rising through the year groups of a Premier League club will spend much of their time dreaming of what might be. Not many make it. But at Everton the ambition is to do all the club can to make sure no-one is left stranded without an education should their time at Finch Farm come to an end.
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Work with schools starts from the youngest age groups at the club - the Under-9s. From that age group through to the U16s, boys who are training with the club will have their formal education - think SATS to GCSEs - at school. While Everton are therefore not responsible for their education, the club stays in touch with players’ schools and tracks their progress. Chris explained: “For the vast majority of those boys they will just go to their own schools and they will come in and train in the evening, so there is a responsibility on us to liaise with their schools to make sure the boys aren't disadvantaged academically by virtue of the amount of time they spend here with and there is still a huge focus on their education. We have lots of contact with schools.”
If concerns are raised - perhaps over a pupil’s attitude or whether they are struggling to find time for homework - the club will do what it can to help. Meanwhile, parents and guardians are invited to progress evenings where their development is discussed. Inductions are held at the beginning of the year that offer advice over issues including time management.
Chris said: “It is very important the boys aren't defined this early as 'young footballers', football is something that they do, they are all good little footballers and that is why they come in and train, but still that is only one aspect of their lives. They are still schoolboys and still have other interests and other activities it is important we encourage them to pursue.”
Academy players - like all children - have challenges as they grow up and coaches try to take into account the difficulties of exams in Year Six, the transition from primary to secondary school and the pressure of GCSEs. Those in Year 11 face a tough year as they will find out whether they will be taken on as scholars by the club and also take their GCSEs. Everton, therefore, tries to tell players whether they will be offered the chance to stay on as early as November - giving anyone disappointed months to overcome the decision and focus on their exams. The U16s year is also tailored to help players concentrate on the tests when they do come.
Chris said: “It is being mindful this is a big year for them and making that clear at the start. We can't get away from the fact scholarship decisions are made during this time and they will feel the pressure of that. So what we want to do is try to make those decisions early enough that any impact on GCSEs is limited.”
Those kept on beyond the U16s then become scholars and the club takes on responsibility for their education. All players in the U18s are in education, most taking on a BTEC in sport, which is the equivalent of two A-Levels. This will see them work and train at Finch Farm for three-and-a-half days a week and spend the rest at a college the club has a partnership with. Some scholars do A-Levels instead of the BTEC, or alongside a BTEC.
Throughout the year groups there is also significance given to helping players develop beyond football and formal education. Chris said: “There is a focus on personal development as well, an informal education programme which is far greater for the older age groups but which we also deliver to the younger ones, with a focus on wellbeing, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion… The player care side is more a welfare, pastoral role but also is about preparing boys for life outside or alongside football or life outside of this football club because we know that they will all leave at some point, whenever that is will be determined by the football.”
That personal development work increases as the boys get older but continues into the U21s with tutorials on subjects such as safe driving, financial planning and encouraging volunteer work with Everton in the Community. Players who wish to pursue degrees are also supported by the club.
Everton’s commitment to their youngsters’ education is being borne out in academic achievements. In the last academic year 66% of the club’s scholars achieved a distinction or distinction*, the highest two results available, in their BTEC Sport. High grades were also achieved in psychology and business studies A-Levels.
For Chris, the results were welcome but deserved due to the strenuous efforts to support the players’ education - something he believes is also key to helping them develop on the pitch. He said: “The importance that we place on the education of the boys, along with their hard work, dedication and attitude, that's why we get the outcomes that we do. As academy staff we see the importance of it and we place a lot of value in it and the boys have a great attitude towards their education. They see it not as a bolt-on but as an integral part of their programme… In any case we feel as though one complements the other. We feel as though how the boys do on the football pitch and the attitude they show and their 'coachability', if you like, they are the same kind of characteristics we like to see - and expect to see - in the classroom.”
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