Prior to COVID, the Great Britain Students Programme was reborn and had got through its application to trial process ready for the World Championships in Hungary. However, unfortunately, due to COVID and multiple lockdowns the programme was put on hold.
We are delighted to announce the initial 3-year plan to get the programme up and running again. The plan will act as the performance pathway for U17/19’s, new athletes to the sport at the university level to develop through to CFL Combine, NFL International Pathway and Great Britain Adults.
3 Year Overview:
2021-22 – University Allstar Programme – Identification of GB Students 2022/23 or referral to CFL Combine, NFL International Pathway and Great Britain Adults.
2022-23 – Great Britain Student International Friendly + University Allstar Programme (Development opportunity for non-playing squad and coaches) – Identification and referral to CFL Combine, NFL International Pathway and Great Britain Adults.
2022-23 – Great Britain Student International Tournament + University Allstar Programme (Development opportunity for non-playing squad and coaches) – Identification and referral to CFL Combine, NFL International Pathway and Great Britain Adults.
Great Britain Student Head Coach Wayne Hill commented, “We are delighted to be back on track and can finally start to develop the performance pathway for players and coaches that we originally set out in our plans back in 2019.”
The starting point of the programme’s return will be the University All-Star game which was reborn under the Football America UK banner in 2019. The University All-Star, North vs South game will be a standing feature of the Great Britain Student Programme. Enabling students and coaches to be exposed to one of the best development opportunities in the UK. The All-star programme will again be sponsored by Football America.
Later this month the registration process to apply to trial will open to all students studying for a Degree or higher qualification and registered to one of the 83 competing BUCS University Teams during the 2021-22 season.
Both Northern and Southern trials will be held on the 8th of January 2022, with further practice days on the 9th March and 2nd April for those selected before culminating in a game on Saturday 9th April 2022. Trials and Practices will be held at Leeds Carnegie for the North and Brunel University for the South.
Each Coaching staff will be made up of members from the Great Britain Student Programme. However, there will be multiple positional and assistant coaching roles available for 2021/22 BUCS Coaches to apply for. Great Britain Students Head Coach Wayne Hill will oversee the Allstar programme with Great Britain Co-ordinators taking on the roles of Allstar Head Coaches Paul Sherratt (North) and Maxwell Petijean (South).
As with players, coaches eligibility is determined by the team coached and their conference.
| North | South |
| University of Aberdeen | Aberystwyth University |
| Bangor University | Anglia Ruskin University |
| University of Bradford | University of Bath |
| University of Chester | Bath Spa University |
| Coventry University | University of Birmingham |
| De Montfort University | Bournemouth University |
| University of Derby | University of Brighton |
| Durham University | University of Bristol |
| Edge Hill University | University of Brunel |
| University of Edinburgh | University of Cambridge |
| Edinburgh Napier University | Canterbury University |
| University of Glasgow | Cardiff University |
| Heriot-Watt University | University of Chichester |
| University of Huddersfield | City, University of London |
| University of Hull | East Anglia University |
| Keele University | University of East London |
| University of Kent | University of Essex |
| Lancaster University | Exeter University |
| University of Leeds | University of Gloucestershire |
| Leeds Beckett University | University of Greenwich |
| University of Leicester | University of Hertfordshire |
| University of Lincoln | Imperial College London |
| University of Liverpool | King’s College London |
| Liverpool John Moores University | University of Kingston |
| Loughborough University | University of Oxford |
| University of Manchester | Oxford Brookes University |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | University of Plymouth |
| Newcastle University | University of Portsmouth |
| Northumbria University | Queen Mary University |
| University of Nottingham | University of Reading |
| Nottingham Trent University | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| University of Sheffield | South Gloucestershire and Stroud College |
| Sheffield Hallam University | University of Southampton |
| Staffordshire University | Solent University |
| University of Stirling | University of Surrey |
| University of Sunderland | University of Sussex |
| University of Teesside | Swansea University |
| University of Central Lancashire | University College London |
| University of Warwick | University of the West of England |
| University of the West of Scotland | University of Winchester |
| University of York | University Of Worcester |
| York St John University |
Player registration information will be used in conjunction with BAFA for verification and National Programme purposes.
BAFA’s Marcus Boswell the BUCS Competition Commission Lead stated, “The GB Students programme provided such an incredible experience during my university playing career that it excites me to think students coming through now and in the coming years will have the same opportunities to thrive. My thanks go to Wayne for his efforts, and best of luck to everybody due to embark upon this process.”
