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England Football Player

One of our Year 12 Students and a KSA Football Academy Player has secured a place on the England Schools FA team for this year.

 

One of our Year 12 Students and a KSA Football Academy player has secured a place on the England Schools FA team for this year.
Sixth Former, Ben Bradshaw, 17, has been selected as one of only 18 school boys to be selected for the English Schools FA under 18s squad for 2016.
Ben was chosen after taking part in the last round of trials at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire earlier this month.
A total of 34 young hopefuls played matches against teams from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, allowing them to demonstrate their football skills ahead of the final 18 being announced.
The news came to Ben about his place on the English Schools team via a letter and follows him recently being signed to play for the first team with Kettering Town FC.
Ben said he is so proud to be asked to play for both England and Kettering in the same year.
He added: “I have always wanted to be given the chance to play professionally and I am really pleased to be chosen to represent my country and wear an England kit, but also being asked to play for Kettering. I do owe a lot of my success to the Football Academy at KSA and the daily training routine as well as the coaching expertise of Steven Kinniburgh from Kettering Town FC. I wouldn’t be where I am now without Mr Kinniburgh’s help and encouragement.”
He said: “It is a great opportunity to play for my country and to be picked for the team. I look forward to benefiting from the professional coaching, the expertise provided and the overall experience of being part of a professional set up. It is a great honour to play for your country at any level.”
Ben will be joining his fellow England team players on three days of training at the end of January at the Walsall Academy and he is looking forward to being presented with his official team and training kits along with the official team blazer and tie.
In February Half Term the boys will also be going to Spain for further training days. The team’s first matches take place on 1st April at Fleetwood FC and against The New Saints FC on 8th April.
The team will be competing for the Inspires Sport Centenary Shield.
Ben has been playing football since the age of 4 when he started playing for his local team the Thurslaston Magpies and he has also played for a number of top youth teams including Leicester City, Burton Albion, Nottingham Forest and also had trials for Stoke City.
Head of Sixth Form at KSA, Miss Jane Watson said: “This is an amazing achievement for Ben and his future in football is looking very bright. We wish him all the best.”