The girls are proving top of their game at Bede Sixth Form College after winning regional league titles in both football and netball.

The teams have topped the table in the North East Colleges’ League and AoC Sport North East Netball League, while the footballers also brought home the NECL League cup.

Bede’s ISE lead, Ian Hewitt, said: “This is yet another fantastic result for our academy students who have put on a great performance all season.

“We benefit from an all-female coaching staff across both sports which definitely benefits our academies.”

For the women’s football academy, the result now offers a route through to the AoC Sport Premiership, which is a national competition.

Ian, who heads up the college’s Institute of Sport and Education (ISE), said: “We are incredibly proud of all our players who make a firm commitment to training alongside their academic studies.”

Through ISE, Bede delivers a variety of sport academies, often working alongside professional coaches and clubs, to give students the chance to excel in their game.

The women’s football academy is run in partnership with Durham Women FC, with Bianca Owens and Amy Richardson making up the coaching staff, both play at a national league level.  Whilst the ISE netball academy works with Grangetown Netball Club who employ former Vitality Super League player, Tuaine Keenan, to head up the programme.

Launched in 2021, Ian said: “It is incredible that the Netball Academy has already won an AoC league championship.”

Regularly training three times a week, the academy students have also demonstrated excellence in their education as the student athletes work towards A levels and BTECs alongside their academy commitments.

Teams receive performance support in strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, sport psychology, nutrition and lifestyle.

With two league wins and a cup under their belt this year, it is a formula that clearly works!

If you would like more information about our ISE women’s football academy or netball academy, book a meeting with ISE lead, Ian, email: Ian.Hewitt@stockton.ac.uk

To find out more about Bede’s ISE academies visit: www.bede.ac.uk/bede-institute-of-sport-and-education-ise