An aspiring football coach at QE is today celebrating success as he moves a step closer to fulfilling his dream of a career in the sport. Cameron Burn took a two-year Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma in Sport and Leisure – a course specially designed to prepare students for a future in the industry or to progress to university – and achieved two top Distinction* grades. The 18-year-old, from Cockfield, County Durham, also attained an A in A Level Media Studies, helping to secure him a place at the University Campus of Football Business to take a degree in Football Coaching and Talent Development, at the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester. He said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled with my results and couldn’t be happier with all I’ve achieved at QE over the last two years. The sport diploma really laid the groundwork for my chosen career path, and I’m excited to start a degree that focuses on football coaching.’
For the last three years, Cameron has coached youth football at Bishop Juniors FC, having completed the FA Level 1 in Football Coaching course. He shadows two UEFA B coaches and is working towards a UEFA C Licence qualification. The teen clocked up more than 250 hours of volunteering in sport alongside his studies at QE, on Vane Terrace, Darlington, and was named Community Sport Volunteer of the Year at the college’s annual ‘A Time to Shine’ awards, in recognition of his hard work. He said: ‘I’ve been heavily involved in football from a young age – my grandad founded Toft Hill Three Tons FC – and while I do play, both at college and for a 5-a-side team, it’s coaching and development that I’m passionate about. I’d love to be a football academy coach, and the dream is to coach a high tier premier league side!’ Cameron made the most of the college’s leadership opportunities, which are designed to support personal development and enhance students’ personal statements and CVs. He gained the ‘Higher Level Sports Leaders’ award, and was both a rugby and badminton leader while at QE. He said: ‘Sport is my passion and QE not only recognised that but encouraged it. The Higher Level Sports Leaders’ award supported my career aspirations, and allowed me to help coach older players at college and gain an insight into good coaching methods.’
QE Principal, Tim Fisher, said: ‘Cameron is a fine example of a student who specifically chose to enrol at QE to support a career path that he already had in mind. He then threw himself into his coursework, college life and volunteering, to ensure he achieved these fantastic grades. He should feel exceptionally proud of his accomplishments. If he continues to display the same great attitude to work and development at university, as he has at college, then he can’t fail to achieve his dream of a career in coaching, and we wish him the very best of luck.’
