Former premier league football star Graeme Le Saux visited Brockenhurst College this week to talk to Sports Academy students about opportunities for careers in the sports sector.
The footballing legend gave a real insight into what life is like as a professional footballer, drawing on his experiences of playing for Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, winning 36 caps for England, and playing for his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
During his trip he reinforced the importance of focusing on academic study alongside sporting development, and highlighted that the skills learnt in the classroom can be just as crucial a part of being a good footballer as natural skill. He said: “Coaches and managers always look for people who try their best and listen to instructions – these are key skills acquired in the classroom as well as on the pitch. Working hard and following what your teacher or coach says is just as important as natural talent.”
Graeme’s association with Brock began in December when he was part of a delegation, along with Principal Di Roberts, accompanying the Prime Minister on a trade mission to China.
Head of the Football Academy Graham Mills said: “We are thrilled to be visited by such a respected sportsman as Graeme Le Saux – his amazing career has been a real inspiration to the students he has worked with today. He has reinforced the importance of gaining a good academic education alongside schemes such as Brock’s Sports Academy, which nurture outstanding sporting talent to develop sporting stars of the future.”
The day was rounded off with Graeme posing for pictures with delighted students. One second year Exercise & Fitness student and Football Academy member, said: “This was a great opportunity - it’s amazing that such a prominent sporting figure has come in to College to talk to us – it really is something that is out of the ordinary and I would not have experienced if I was not part of this specialist Academy programme here at Brock.”
Graeme was also accompanied on his visit by International Development Manager for the Premier League Kate Hodgkinson, a former Brock student who has pursued an exciting career in sports media and communications since completing her sixth form studies in 1999. She spent the afternoon talking to current Business students about the career route she has taken since leaving College, and imparted valuable and inspirational advice about the steps they could take to embark upon a similar route. She said: “The sports facilities at Brock were brilliant and really set me up to go on to work in the sports industry. The College also provided a fantastic social experience – I made so many new friends which was really important in preparing me socially for going on to university and for my career.”