Which courses did you study at Stafford College?
I studied the BTEC Level 3 Sports Fitness, Coaching and Development course and then progressed to study the Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Development.
The teaching team at NSCG helped me to get to where I am today in my career. I'm loving being back as an adult learner and the experience I am having is just as positive and supportive.
Haydn Evans-Wood (Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Development & part-time Level 3 Performance Sports Massage)
Why did you choose to stay on and study the Foundation Degree with us?
My lecturers at the time were a huge influence on me and I had a positive experience on the Level 3 course so I knew this was a great choice for me. Their passion and academic knowledge both excited me and they really helped me to think about developing my football knowledge further. The HE offering at NSCG really appealed to me and I'm glad I chose this route.
What key skills did the Foundation Degree give you?
Confidence! The staff and success of the course helped me to realise that I could places. It was no longer a 'fake it til you make it' kind of attitude and I really learnt to have the confidence in my own abilities and that I knew what I was doing. The team instilled in me that it's OK to ask a lot of questions and tap into the expertise of a team around me whoever that is at the time. I learnt lots of teambuilding skills and the academic side of the course helped me to develop professionally.
After you completed the Foundation Degree, what came next?
I moved onto my degree and the COVID pandemic hit during year 2 which was a challenge. After a difficult time and with lots of support from the team back at NSCG, I got to complete the final year of my degree.
Have there been any significant challenges for you along the way to get to where you are now?
In October 2020, I almost lost my leg playing football. I suffered a triple leg break and the surgery didn't go to plan and I ended up with Compartment Syndrome which meant rebuilding the entire calf muscle from scratch, a skin graft along my entire shin and I suffered nerve and tendon damage. After five surgeries and throughout my recovery, I then dislocated my right knee three times.
I really have to credit the team at NSCG as they helped me to get this through this extremely difficult time and their compassion really brings home why I studied at NSCG. They worked with me to adapt practical sessions to ensure I had the best chance of succeeding and I came away with a First Class Degree after overcoming a lot of barriers and the pandemic. Nothing was ever too much trouble and they always had my best interests at heart and the interactions I had them during a difficult time in my life will never be forgotten.
Looking back, how do you think your time at NSCG helped to set you up in your career?
On paper, the education and qualifications got me the interview. The life experiences and the culture around college life, the staff and their dedication really shaped my outlook on life and my career. They really guided me and helped me to learn to deal with set backs and that external factors happen in life and the workplace.
The whole NSCG experience gave me the skills and confidence to apply for the role of National Competitions Co-ordinator at the English Schools' Football Association (ESFA) which is the national governing body for football in schools. I have recently secured a promotion into the role of Football Projects Manager at the ESFA and I wouldn't be where I am today, so a big thank you to the sports team at Stafford College.
I still really think about the professional standards I developed at college and when I'm working with partners like Pokémon, Nike or EA Sports, I enjoy putting my partnership skills to good practice.
You've recently returned to NSCG to study the part-time Level 3 Diploma in Performance Massage. How are you enjoying that and how is that helping you in your current role?
I got a taster for the subject area when I first started at college and I loved it, but at that time, it wasn't a full time career option for me but something to add on to my work and enhance any roles going forward, so here I am!
I was apprehensive at first, coming back to college as an adult learner, wondering if anything had changed. My tutors helped us to settle in quickly and made us feel wanted and valued which as an adult learner is so important. The class is great and every adult learner is there for the same reason and that's to learn something new and exciting. Everyone comes from a different background - lots of people have children and then there's me with my Merseyside accent. The tutor has steered the class to grow in its own way based on the experiences of the cohort. We take the subject seriously but there are lots of laughs along the way. Friendships have developed and that is down to the excellent standards of teaching on offer.