Sport: Students sign with Aston Villa

The Business of Sport

New basketball partnership

Broadway Academy School in Perry Barr is forming a partnership with Birmingham’s biggest community basketball club.

The academy is joining forces with the City of Birmingham Rockets Basketball Club, to take advantage of the latter’s track record of producing elite athletes.

Utilising its existing national and international partnerships, Rockets will endeavour to help Academy players develop by finding the most suitable career path for them.

City of Birmingham Rockets managing director Rob Palmer said: “We are really proud to work alongside a supportive educational partner. We look forward to developing a longterm partnership that will produce high level athletes and students based at Broadway Academy School.”

Students sign with Aston Villa

Two of Birmingham Metropolitan College’s brightest soccer starlets have signed on the dotted line for Aston Villa Women’s Football Club.

The pair are 18 year-old sports science students Freya Gregory and Isobel Goodwin, who will be hoping that they can help boost the fortunes of the struggling Women’s Super League club.

Freya and Isobel started on the Level 3 sports academy course delivered by BMet’s Sutton Coldfield College and Aston Villa FC last September, and were based at the latter’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.

Freya, a goal scoring winger, is a lifelong Villa fan, and said: “I am so happy to be now classed as an official professional player.

“My experience at BMet and the club has taught me to be more resilient and to strive to be the best that I can be, which are key attributes that will carry me through my career.”

Isobel, a striker, said: “I am really buzzing and so thankful to BMet and the club for helping me get to where I am today.

“My future now looks really bright. I am so looking forward to playing against a variety of great teams and building up my profile on the competitive field.”

Richard Steeples, a sport and exercise lecturer at BMet and goalkeeper coach for Aston Villa Women’s first team, added: “It is fantastic news to hear that two of our star players have been able to officially reach a professional standard due to their skills, hard work and determination.

“Both players have successfully combined their footballing abilities with a desire to learn through education, which has all paid off.”

Signing on: Freya (left) and Isobel