Overview of Programme

Our SGS Women's Football Academy was one of the first academies to offer full-time football training combined with academic qualifications for girls in the UK, and has long been an established presence at SGS College.

All candidates for the Women's Football Academy must be on a full-time course at SGS College. We offer academic opportunities for BTEC qualifications, A-levels, higher national diplomas and degree courses. Students between the ages of 16 and 21 are given the opportunity to combine academic study on the many courses available at SGS College with top-level coaching each week.

Our WSL Academy Squad competes in the FA WSL Academy League and the FA WSL Academy Cup and Plate competitions.

Our ECFA Squad competes annually in four competitions: the Category One League, which is organised by the English Colleges and the AOC, the English Colleges Premier Cup and the English Schools FA Cup, and finally the AOC Regional Tournament.

Teams Available

The Women's Football Academy is comprised of three playing squads. Our Women's Super League Academy squad is filled with an elite team made up of players preparing to take the next step as high-performance footballers hoping to earn a professional contract from Bristol City WFC. Our WSL Academy Squad competes in the FA WSL Academy League and the FA WSL Academy Cup and Plate competitions.

Our ECFA CAT 1 Squad competes within the Category One League, which is the highest level within the ECFA. These players are involved within a performance driven environment, competing with and against athletes striving to gain knowledge and experience, ready for the next level in their footballing careers.

Our squad will also compete in The English Colleges Premier Cup and The English Schools FA Cup, and finally The AOC Regional Tournament. Our ECFA squad have the opportunity to work with players from the WSLA squad, with potential opportunity progress into the WSLA squad, if selected.

Finally, our Development Squad will be comprised of players who are focused on development and enjoyment. These players will compete locally within friendlies, against other colleges and teams. This squad has a great opportunity to train and play without pressure, and focus on enjoyment, whilst developing a the love for the game. Similarly, there is always opportunity to progress into the ECFA CAT 1 team if selected.

The Programme

The Women's Football Academy have high expectations in terms of attitude, and we place a strong emphasis on work rate, professionalism, belief and bravery.

At SGS College, all our Academy women's teams train at top-level facilities ready for any weather conditions so players are also able to train and most importantly develop. These facilities include a 60 m x 40 m 3G indoor football pitch, two full-size 80 m x 60 m floodlit 3G football pitches, 12 3G artificial five-a-side football pitches, and finally our 4 pristine gameday grass pitches.

The Women's Football Academy also gets supervised gym sessions with personalised gym programmes from our strength and conditioning coaches in our two state-of-the-art gyms. Players are additionally supported with the best nutritional meals after games, alongside videoed performance analysis sessions and injury prevention advice from our team of on-site physios.

Our WSLA and EFCA CAT 1 team will have opportunity to train on these facilities three times a week for an hour and a half, an additional 1-2 gym sessions a week, with games on a Wednesday, with our WSLA Squad having possible weekend games.

Our College squads also have links to SGS Olveston united who have access to all our facilities here at SGS on evenings and weekends. This allows our athletes to play and train with SGS college during the week and play for SGS Olveston United on the weekend as their club. This adheres the players to keep coherent and consistent playing styles gaining as much time and experience with one another, ultimately developing player connection and team cohesion.

The Coaches

Our ECFA CAT 1 coach is Brodie Olive: Brodie was a former player for Bristol City WFC from the age of 7, progressing within the academy to Bristol City WFC U21's and SGS College EFCA Player within the CAT 1 League. Within her time at SGS Brodie won the WSLA Development League Cup in 2017 against Arsenal 5-0 at St.Georges Park, playing alongside the likes of Lauren Hemp, Aimee Palmer, Emily Syme and Flo Allen, who all went on to play for Bristol City WFC First Team. Brodie has also competed internationally for two countries, Malta and Northern Ireland. With Northern Ireland, Brodie was selected to play within the U19's Euros, playing against England, France and USA in 2016 at Windsor Park Football Stadium.

Whilst playing, Brodie earned herself a high-level undergraduate degree in Sports Coaching and Development within our HE provision here at SGS. Whilst on her undergraduate degree, Brodie secured herself an internship with Bristol City, becoming head coach on the Bristol City WFC RTC U10s within a season. Brodie continued her personal development further as a coach, by completing her Masters degree in Sports Coaching and Performance, followed by completing her FA Level 2 in Coaching Football. Currently, Brodie is also coaching Bristol City WFC RTC U14's squad.

Noticing her success as a coach, Brodie was selected by Nike as one of the top 10 young female coaches in the country. The Powerhouse Project, ran by Nike London, fabricated a programme linking with top professional coaches with the women's and men's game across the country. The programme gave access to professional facilities, games and talks, providing these top 10 young female coaches the opportunity and experience to develop vital skills to be a catalyst for change in the women's game.

Finally, Brodie has also worked as a BTEC Sport & Public services lecturer here at SGS College since 2019. Brodie is a true alumni to the college, the female football programme and Bristol City WFC.

Previous Success / Alumni Success

The competitions involved with our squads, afford our girls plenty of opportunities to play, and we have an excellent record. In 2019, our WSL Academy Squad reached the FA WSL Plate Final. In 2017, our Academy won the English Colleges FA Cup and were runners-up in the English Schools FA Cup. In 2016, we got to the ECFA National Play-Off Final.

Our Women's Football Academy was historically one of the first female college football teams to run alongside a professional club, and that helped to attract players from all over the UK to play for the Vixens.

Over the years, our Women's Football Academy has built up a superb relationship with Bristol City WFC, and our Academy plays an essential role in developing talent on the Bristol City WFC player pathway.

Most famously, former student Lauren Hemp made the jump from SGS College player to Bristol City WFC 1st Team Squad, before signing for Manchester City WFC. Lauren has just been called up to the England Senior international squad, only recently in 2022 winning the Euros.

Many of our former BTEC student, EFCA & WSLA player has lined out for the professional side, and presently Flo Allen, who has played for England at Under 17, Under 19 and Under 23 levels, is a now The General Manager for Norwich Women, whilst still fondly visiting Bristol City WFC after being a player here since she was 15.

Aimee Palmer is another former student, an England U19 international who signed a professional contract with Bristol WFC upon completing her time at the Women's Football Academy at SGS College, additionally to her A-Levels. She now Captains our First Team within the Women's Championship League.

Many other students have left SGS College to take up football scholarships in the USA upon completion of their studies, whilst others have continued to train during the week at the Academy by taking up degree courses at SGS College.

Trials for the Women's Football Academy are held during the school breaks during the academic calendar and throughout the summer.