Student Secures Soccer Scholarship in America

02 July

Bexhill College Football Academy in association with Chelsea Foundation and Eastbourne Borough Football Club are pleased to be able to share the news that student and academy player Dan Blackmore has secured a football scholarship in the United States of America starting in September 2021. Dan, who has recently completed his Level 3 Personal Training course, has been a key member of the first-team squad at Eastbourne Borough this season featuring 8 times before the season was curtailed prematurely due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. Blackmore becomes the third player in two years to successfully secure a scholarship to play football and study in the United States following in the footsteps of both Izzy Payne and Lillie McSweeney respectively.

Blackmore has earned a 4-year soccer scholarship at St. Peters University in New Jersey - giving him the opportunity to continue to develop his footballing ability with an NCAA Div. 1 side, alongside working towards a degree in Sports Management.

For Dan, it shows the progression he has made as a player developing through the various youth teams at Eastbourne Borough, before captaining the Under-18 side and making his first-team debut in addition to captaining the Sussex U18 side to become National Champions in 2020. 

Academy manager Sean Noble commented “Dan has been a pleasure to both teach and coach whilst attending Bexhill College, playing an integral part within a successful 2019/20 season which saw the College reach the Sussex County cup Final. Dan has an excellent attitude to both training and playing which, I am confident will see him be successful from his time in the USA. For us as an academy, we are extremely proud to have played a role within Dan’s development and again displays the various pathways available to players at Bexhill College.”

Both the Men’s and Woman’s Football academies have trialled over 100 players during May and June and places are still available for any players who wish to trial for the academy. Information and application packs can be located on the Bexhill College website, www.bexhillcollege.ac.uk or by emailing seannoble@bexhillcollege.ac.uk