By Nathan John and Farman Siddiqui Richard O’Kelly has been involved with professional football for over thirty years and has extensive experience both as a professional footballer and as a coach. He has managed some of the country’s top players at a variety of different clubs ranging from non-league Hereford United to Premier League club Aston Villa, where his most recent position was as Dean Smith’s assistant head coach. The Birmingham born man gave an exclusive Q&A interview session to the UDA student-athletes where he answered questions on his experiences at coaching at the top level of the game. In accordance with UDA at UOG’s Training Programme, Richard offered his insight to the aspiring graduates about just what it takes to make it and what separates the top players from the others. Given the close connection between Aston Villa Football Club and UDA at UOG, Richard was invited to give his expertise on elite level football, as part of the UDA Visiting Coach Programme, which acted as a fascinating eye-opener for the students to learn more and have the opportunity to ask questions of a professional coach. “The biggest thing is the attitude” said Richard when asked his first question about what separates the top players from the rest. “It was nothing to do with ability, it was just attitude. They treat every training session, everything they do to the best of their ability. Their reaction to mistakes is also key as it happens to everyone. Turn up on time and make sure you respect your teammates and coaching staff.” Richard has fond memories from his playing days, particularly his time in the third division. His advice for younger footballers in the same position is discipline. “It was difficult sometimes to get to training for me. But I always made it when I could.” Aston Villa have had a roller-coaster of a time ever since gaining promotion in 2019. Richard credits Villa for their opportunity and when asked his favourite memory at the club, he replied “The 7th goal against Liverpool! But in all seriousness, it would have to be winning the Championship.” He was further asked who he saw as the best player he coached at the club and his reply was almost instant “Grealish.” Jack Grealish was signed by English champions Manchester City for a record British transfer fee. “If he was here right now, he would jump into the training pitch with all of you. He had much enthusiasm for the game. He’s also a really good person.” The UDA Visiting Coach Programme focuses on tactical, physical, technical and psychological parts of the game, offering a multi-dimensional look at football.
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We’ve had great success launching our men’s Academy Programme at the University of Gloucestershire this September and we’ve welcomed a great group of young men on board. Upon their arrival in late September, the student athletes got right into training, allowing the players to get their first taste of their new indoor and outdoor training facilities. From the beginning, the coaching staff of Dave, Matt, Aimee, Mal, Jack and Claire were impressed with the attitude of the boys and began to see their potential.
In our first game, we took on the University of Gloucestershire BUCS 3rd team. This was a chance for Coach Dave to see how well the lessons learned in training transferred to match conditions. The players started well, playing skillfully in the first half while the second half brought on a more physical contest that ended in a 2-2 draw.
It has been a pleasure working with the boys for the first term and we look forward to their return. There are exciting times ahead for the UDA UoG team which we will share more about soon, such as upcoming fixtures against strong teams, a guest coach appearance, a trip to The Football Museum and a Premier League game.
We’re thankful for the support of the community as we’ve forged strong links with local teams during this first term. We’re excited to get back to work on the field and in the classroom! UDA is to offer opportunities for aspiring women players to play year round, earn a degree of their choice and play within a professional academy at the University of Gloucestershire. The program is set to launch, September 2023. Executive Director, Dr. Brian Haley stated, “we have been planning the launch of a women's program at Gloucestershire for some time. We have had families and players ask why don't we provide the same opportunities for women as we have done for men in the UK. We heard their call and have now developed a robust and strategic recruitment structure in North America in order to recruit women looking for this type of opportunity.” Haley continued, “What makes this opportunity different for women is our connection to the women’s professional game through Gloucester City AFC. The UDA women will be able to play within the Gloucester City AFC structure utilizing their pathways for player and game development. In addition, the UDA academy coaches and staff will bring their own expertise to help the development of the students. Of course, as UDA mission is ‘Changing Lives Through Education’ we recognize, as we do with all our programs, the focus is on the academic success and graduation of students beyond the opportunity to train and play year round in our professional academy” For women seeking entry into the academy, recruitment begins in spring and summer 2022. Three spring webinars for the women's program will be held March 20th, April 24th and May 22nd for students and families wishing to learn more about the program. These webinars are a great opportunity to get to know more about UDA, the University of Gloucestershire academic opportunities, the benefits of a UK degree and more. The recruitment team led by Director of Recruitment Seamus Reilly are planning a women’s Summer Tour to the University of Gloucestershire for prospective players and families from July 17th- 29th. The Summer Tour is open to students graduating in 2023 and 2024 with a cap of 18 players for the tour. We will also be hosting several recruitment events across the country where students and players can train with UDA coaches, learn more about the university and ask any questions they may have. Catch us in Charlotte in March, as well as San Antonio and Columbus in June. Please refer back to our recruitment page for more details about the camps. Interested in taking this next step towards a once in a lifetime opportunity? Please contact Director of Recruitment Seamus Reilly for more information about the program and the recruitment process.
Details of the women’s summer tour can be found at this link: Women's Summer Tour. New webinar dates have been announced. Sign up now!
Sunday, December 19, 2022 7:00pm EST [Undergraduate Students] Sunday, January 9, 2022 7:00pm EST [Undergraduate Students] Sunday, January 19, 2022 7:00pm EST [Graduate Students] How have you settled into life at Gloucester? How have the academics, accommodation, and student life been thus far?
Tell us a little about your academic course - what you are studying? what has been of interest? what classes have been like for you?"I am studying Sports Business Management. The sports module has been of huge interest to me because we talk a lot about how we define sport. Classes have been very demanding but at the same time very informative." How has the training been going for you? What have you learned? What do you need to work on? What has surprised you?"Football life is great as you get to practice a lot and there is a lot of emphasis on the individual which leads to personal benefit. The training has been intense and hard in the cooler weather but very good. I have learned a lot more about myself and what I need to work on, such as my off ball positioning. I have been surprised by the facilities, they are very good for football.” Tell us a little about the first game you played in England. How did you find it and was it what you expected?
Have you had the chance to visit any places since you have been there?“I had the chance to visit London and Bath which were beautiful.” We wish you the best for the rest of the term, Zach and we can't wait to watch you grow on and off the pitch!
Moving to a new location to complete university can be exciting, but also intimidating. Even seeing your child explore a different part of the world or country is something to look forward to, but it’s impossible not to worry about them or your family far from home. If you are in the process of sending your child off to study abroad in the UK, are a few states away, or are even a student living abroad or away from home, we have compiled some resources for you. Traveling to a new location is stressful for everybody, which is why as part of the UDA family, we make sure our students receive assistance while settling into a new place. From helping with travel arrangements, banking, to setting up phone plans, we make sure your studies go as smoothly as possible. We’re here to support you! Learn about our staff and how we assist our students. When you’re away from home it can be hard to know how to stay connected with family and friends. Here's some of out best advice:DECIDE ON A TIME Once your schedules are stable, decide on a time that works for everybody to communicate. Decide on your method of communication — is it best to video chat, or call? KEEP ONE ANOTHER IN THE LOOP Share pictures and videos of your lives. Whether you’re a parent at home or a student at university, your family members want to know what you’re up to. These could be photos of your latest grocery store run, or your favorite hike — either way, they want to see it! KEEP YOURSELF BUSY Students: Studying at university is a great opportunity to explore a new location while learning, so make the most of it! Go explore a new park or grab dinner at that place you’ve always wanted to try. If you’re looking for things to do in and around UoG, here’s a guide for your weekend. Parents: This may be one of the few times you get to experience life without an extra person at home. Take this time to pursue things you have wanted to try, even if it is just resting! If you have any questions about the application process, travel plans, or life at your university, please contact us.
Hear from our Journalism Intern, Bijeta, about her experience as an international student. She shares what she's learned along the way so that you can gain insight into the student experience while parents can get an understanding of what their children may be involved in when away from home. what was it like for your parents when you left to study?
How do you keep in touch, and how often?We keep in touch through video calls and texts mainly via Messenger. The frequency of our calls depends on how busy everyone is, but I text them at least once every two days to let them know I’m doing okay, which they appreciate. I also let them know if I’m busy or traveling so that they don’t have to worry about my lack of communication. We usually call once or twice a week now, but we used to talk more often when I first left home. TIP: I recommend keeping in touch with your family at least a few times a week, just to let them know you're thinking about them. It doesn't have to be anything major, it could just be a weather update, or what you're working on in a certain course. do your parents worry about you? what do you do to ease their concerns?They don’t worry about me as much as they used to anymore, because they now understand that I will be fine on my own. However, my mom still gets concerned if I don’t reply to her messages or don’t respond as often, so I make sure that I talk to them and tell them about my life as much as I can. A lot of my friends are also international students and I have witnessed varied levels of concerns from parents. TIP: The best thing for us as students to do would be to understand our guardians, communicate with them, and keep them updated on our lives to let them know how we are doing. My parents also tell me that keeping busy has helped them not worry so much about us. My mom recently joined a university to get her Master’s degree, and she often tells me that this has been the perfect time for her to pursue education. TIP: We have a family group chat where we keep everybody updated on what is happening here as well as back home, so I think the best way to ease concerns for everyone is to keep in touch with family and keep yourself occupied. how often do you go home?I try to go home once every year, but that wasn’t possible due to the pandemic. I’m fortunate because the longest I have not been home is a year and a half, but I know that some of my international friends have not been home for much longer. how did you deal with being away from home?It was difficult at first — I missed the comfort of home, my family, the food...everything. Being in a new environment was not easy, especially since I could not fly back home for months. But I started making friends here and kept myself busy. I started working so I was alright after a couple of months. I still miss home and my family, but I also appreciate my life here. TIP: Find something to keep yourself busy — Whether that’s a new hobby or a campus club, having something to do can be the best way to combat homesickness or when missing a loved one. Traveling to a new location is stressful for everybody, which is why as part of the UDA family, we make sure our students receive assistance while settling into a new place. From helping with travel arrangements, banking, to setting up phone plans, we help make sure your studies go as smoothly as possible. Learn about our staff and how we assist our students here.
If you have any questions about the application process, travel plans, or life at your university, please contact us. Welcome to a new academic year! We are thrilled to be welcoming so many students from around the world to the UDA family. We are excited to see what our students will accomplish this term and we can't wait to share those successes with you! As students begin to delve into the semester, they might need some advice along the way. Our support staff on both sides of the pond are here to answer all questions from how to set up a phone plan to the best ways to balance academic and social life. "[We] work directly with students to learn and understand their individual needs. "We view students as people who are working to achieve their goals, and we are here to help them in doing so. The personal approach we take helps us get to know each student so that we can best provide them resources and guidance in studying and living in the UK," stated Justin Karrenberg, Head of Student Recruitment and Advising. As our second and third year students are beginning to consider where their degree can take them, that's where we come in! Our Dream Maker Program allows second and third year students to connect with companies that match their skills and aspirations in order to aid them in discovering their passions. Our Dream Maker Program allows second and third year students to develop a professional portfolio that showcases their academic interests, passions, and skills. We then share this portfolio with companies that match the student's skills and aspirations in order to aid them in discovering a future career. We want to ensure that our graduating students discover a field they are interested in that then leads to a purposeful life. While talk of next career steps can be daunting, our partner career coach, Nadia Ibrahim-Taney of Beyond Discovery Coaching makes navigating and leveraging a university degree manageable. Nadia has first-hand personal knowledge and expertise of how to navigate a British degree in the US job market and is here to help our UDA students thrive. Before the new academic year gets into full swing, We'd also like to welcome our student-athletes who have returned to their on-campus abodes or those who are just joining a UDA program and are beginning their studies and training at New Mexico State University, the University of Chester and the University of Gloucestershire. Get To Know Some Of Our Student-Athletes!Meet Carlos Ramirez from Greeley, Colorado who will be joining the New Mexico State University Academy.
If you could event a holiday, what would you pick? I would invent a traditions holiday where you celebrate and get to show off your culture and traditions. Meet Joshua Edlemann from Michigan who will be joining the University of Gloucestershire Academy.
If you could event a holiday, what would you pick? A mini holiday in the winter to go out and celebrate with friends and family after Christmas and before New Years. WANT TO LEARN MORE?
View what each of our soccer academies have to offer. If you enjoy concerts, literature, or hikes, Gloucestershire has plenty of activities and events throughout the year worth checking out! Find activities you’d enjoy around your university here, and some free events you can attend when you’re on a budget.
How does uda prepare student athletes for university?“We spend a lot of time in preparation before our students go to college. First, we introduce them to the program and share our expectations. We also invite them to an ID camp where they get to meet us one-on-one in person. Then, we invite them to an orientation where our UK staff come over to our US staff to ensure that students and staff are at the same place for the weekend. In this way, the first stage of the preparation is in the US. We also have a strong support network in the UK — from the coaching staff to the university — to guide students through their programs. As students come to the end of their careers, we hold two events. The first one is at the start, which is the Dream Maker program. The other event is a series called Life After UDA where we talk about visa process as well as soccer and career opportunities. In this way, we are involved in helping our students navigate their college life before they get there, once there, and help them figure out what they are going to do after.” What are some advantages of pursuing higher education through uda?“One of the biggest advantages for a player to pursue a program through UDA is the longevity of the training seasons. Typically, American students will go three to four months in training, but with UDA, they will train for nine months of the year. The students also play more games — we guarantee them 25 to 30 games. In addition to playing 25 to 30 games, the students are also going to be coached by professionals that have played in professional games, and now have coached in the professional game. Players gain three crucial benefits: longer playing, longer training, and the guidance of qualified professionals.” What are you looking for in players?“We want to make sure our students complete the course, so we’re looking for students who are in good academic standing. We’re also looking for students with good character — honesty and reliability. We also want our players to be able to think critically so that they can solve problems without help. We have played with very technical players who have good mechanics, and are highly skilled, and that is usually what I look for in our potential players.” What advice do you have for those who are considering applying to a uda program?“Research the programs. Do as much research as you can on the potential programs; make it a job to research the program and your college opportunities.” how do you help students plan their academic life?“We first ask students what they think would fall in line with their career goals. We also ask them to think about the cost: whether the program is affordable. Finally, we advise them to find a program that can go side-by-side with their soccer and academic career.”
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