Leeds United and Leeds Beckett University launch football programme partnership

The Carnegie International Soccer Academy will give those who enrol the opportunity to continue playing sport whilst increasing their employability within the industry.

Coaches from Leeds United will help train students along with former Elland Road player Enoch Showumni, who is also the programme's head of recruitment.

The newly-launched course is largely targeted towards recruiting student athletes from the USA but is open to all nationalities.

The academy - which runs men’s and women’s teams - offers a range of Bachelors and Masters degrees across business and sports with teaching taking place within the new state-of-the-art £45m Carnegie School of Sport building based at the Headingley Campus.

Pete Mackreth, Dean of the Carnegie School of Sport at LBU, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Leeds United to provide this unique opportunity for international students.

“As an institution with a strong international reputation and heritage in sport and physical education, this programme will give students the opportunity to earn a degree that will prepare them for the next stage of their career. Alongside this, students’ experience will be enhanced by accessing high performance coaching from Leeds United coaches.

“With the programme based at our Headingley Campus, students will be joining a sporting community, providing the perfect environment for their development in both the classroom and on the field.”

Enoch Showunmi, Head of Recruitment for the Carnegie International Soccer Academy, said:

"My career showed me how important education was before, during and after playing football. It is important that these opportunities are available to student athletes, so they are able to pursue both elements. This programme provides that and more.

“It is about developing the whole player both on and off the field while giving them a taste of the type of training that elite players go through.

“The long-term opportunities are endless for where this programme will go for all involved, developing elite-level elements to the football journey for staff and students alike.

“This will develop into the go-to programme for international student athletes wanting to experience the game in the home of football."

The programme will officially launch in September 2021 with recruitment for its first year underway.