The English Schools’ Football Association is delighted to announce the relaunch of our partnership with FirstPoint USA – the official sports scholarship partner of the ESFA.
FirstPoint USA, the world’s leading US sports scholarship and international student recruitment agency, will be working with the ESFA to promote the incredible life-changing opportunities available for ESFA Schools’ Cup players in America.
The partnership, which was first established in September 2020, has seen the ESFA and FirstPoint USA share the successes of their current sports scholarship students and promote the exciting possibilities that have opened up to ESFA players through the relationship with FirstPoint USA.
Stuart Botham, ESFA Chair said “On behalf of the ESFA, I am delighted to see this partnership with FirstPoint USA relaunched in the 2022/23 season. The ESFA provides footballing opportunities for hundreds of thousands of children each year and it is fantastic to work with partners that can provide a route for some of these players to progress both their sporting and academic achievements over in the USA. I hope to be able to follow the journey of some ESFA players as they embark on new routes, inspired through this partnership.”
Since 2001, FirstPoint has provided life-changing athlete-scholar opportunities in the USA for upwards of 30,000 young people, securing more than $300m in scholarship funding during that time. Officially certified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), FirstPoint boasts a network of 2,500+ academic institutions in the US, placing its clients at some of best universities and colleges in the country.
Stuart McCaffrey, Director of Football for FirstPoint USA, added: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the ESFA into 2023 and we’re looking forward to supporting those talented young players across England who are keen on pursuing the next step of their academic and football career in the States.
“Combining playing with studying for a degree at some of the finest facilities in the world offers young player a best of both worlds’ scenario. We know from our experience of working with athletes over the past 21 years that a sports scholarship can be life-changing, whether you continue into playing professional sport or progress into a successful career outwith sport, as many of our clients have done. Through the partnership, we’ll provide young players with the right information and guidance to help inform their decision.”
More information on FirstPoint USA and how you can get involved with their scholarship programmes or find out more will be emailed directly to schools in the coming days, however in the meantime, please head over to their website for more information and to contact FirstPoint directly to discuss options that are available for you.
FirstPoint USA will be staging a series of assessment trials across England in February, at the following venues and dates:
- Leeds | Woodhouse Grove School | Monday 13 February (Girls Only)
- Leeds | Woodhouse Grove School | Monday 13 February
- Birmingham | Tamworth FC | Tuesday 14 February
- London | Brunel University Sports Park | Wednesday 15 February
- London | Imperial College Sports Ground | Thursday 16 February
- Manchester | The Armitage Centre | Monday 20 February
To register to attend one of these trials, please visit https://www.firstpointusa.com/our-service/soccer-trials/
