College News

Invitation to St George’s Park – Home of the New National Football Centre

Two students from QE recently travelled down to St George’s Park, the training ground of England’s finest football players. Daneille Murdock (18) and Hannah Mattinson (17) are part of the Student Sport Management Team at QE and it was the presentation stage not the pitch that beckoned the pair!

The girls, with Head of Sport, Mark Scott, were invited to St George’s Park to attend the launch of a new website and initiative which colleges across the country can access: the ‘Football Development Quality Framework’. As part of this, QE was chosen as a pioneering establishment for leadership and volunteering through sport as it is the work that the girls and a number of other dedicated students do, that makes QE stand out.

In front of a packed conference room containing influential people from the FA, British Colleges’ Sport, English Colleges’ Football Association and Heads of Sport from other colleges, Hannah and Daneille explained how the work of the Student Sport Management Team at QE impacts on their experience of college. They also outlined some of the work they do which, most recently, has included running a posture and balance workshop in Darlington’s town centre as part of Age Awareness Day and orchestrating a futsal league in partner secondary schools. Their delivery of the presentation received high praise from their audience.

Hannah explains:

“Both myself and Daneille were so excited to be given this opportunity.  I had never before presented in front of an audience so large, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.  I gained a lot from the day and feel it has inspired us further in the work we do.”

Daneille further added:

“It was a privilege to be able to present ourselves to such prestigious people and I can safely say both Hannah and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity. It was a great life experience and we intend to build on the work we are doing. ”

The Sport Management Team at QE continues to work within the College, schools and the community, so watch this space for news of more exciting endeavours. If you would like further information about the Team or the Football Development Quality Framework, you can follow @QEStudentSport on Twitter or visit ecfa-quality.org.uk.