• Professional Game Academies are run at clubs where girls with talent potential can be selected to be part of a professional clubs programme that will combine football development with their education.

• They focus on players aged 14-20 (U15-U21s), who show potential, with a high-performance club training and playing environment that supports a dual career focus.

• Professional Game Academy Licences will be granted as part of the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) and Barclays Women’s Championship (WC) licence criteria. Clubs outside of the top two tiers will not be able to access this programme

• Professional Game Academies are programmes run under a license that the FA awards after clubs submit an application.

• Licences will be offered at two different categories to accommodate the various levels of provision and investment within the clubs.

• Category 1 licensed clubs will be required to deliver a minimum of 2 age groups, clubs can choose their 2 age groups between the age of 14 & 20 (U15s- U21s)

• Category 2 licenced clubs will be required to deliver a minimum of 1 age group, clubs can choose which age group between the age of 14 & 20  (U15s -U21s)

• Clubs may choose to deliver additional age groups that fall outside of the Licenced PGA programme at their own cost.

• The two-tiered system (Categories 1 & 2) will be funding and criteria dependent and will not be linked to the competition provision allowing Category 1 and 2 Licenced Academies to compete against each other.

• Clubs in both Barclays WSL and Barclays WC will be able to apply for either Category, 1 or 2. 

• There will be a maximum of 16 Category 1 Academies in year 1, the remainder will be Category 2 in year one and the selection of Category 1 Academies will be allocated by set selection criteria.

• U15-U16s will compete in mainly a mixed football provision.

• There is a PGA U21s competition that clubs can opt into or decide to operate their own model.
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• As a guide U16s should receive 8-12 development hours per week and should include on pitch / off pitch / technical / physical components. U21s should receive 12-16 development hours per week and should include on pitch / off pitch / technical / physical components

• Clubs should utilise the travel hours as guidance and manage players programmes and the demands it places upon them and their families accordingly

• U15/U16s players are advised to travel no more than a total 6 hours per week for training to access an Academy

• U17 - U21s players are advised to travel no more than 10 hours per week for training, from the address of permanent residence.

• Club Accommodations are considered those where players may be living with a host family, club education provider accommodation or club accommodation including communal accommodation provided by clubs

• Accommodation away from home cannot be offered to U16s. Only when a player is in Year 12 and registered within the U21s Academy squad cap can this be offered. This must be paid for by the club. 

• The Club's Academy will operate for a duration of a minimum of 40 weeks per year. Clubs must provide a 14 day break mid-season (Christmas). 

• Club seasons must run between the 15th July and the 31st May.

• Clubs are required to provide players with all year-round support including off season programmes and access to physical, medical, psych/social, education/lifestyle support.

• Places in PGAs are limited to 25 per cohort ran, and are therefore highly sought after and offered at the decisions of the clubs who run them. Attending an Emerging Talent Centre is a great starting point for aiming to be in a PGA.

• The PGA Club must evidence a clear Talent Identification Strategy. 

• The Talent Identification Strategy should be connected to the club's overall vision and Blueprint and should detail clear selection criteria and process. 

• The Talent Identification Strategy may include open trials, open training sessions, club referrals or the establishment of scouting networks. It may include considerations around catchment areas, travel distances and location of the Academy to ensure accessibility. 

• Clubs will make offers to players to join their PGA based upon this strategy. 

• Every player should make the decision on their club of choice in conjunction with educational decisions and clubs must ensure player education is not impacted or disrupted by decisions.

• Absolutely. Players in U21s Academies last season made over 10,000 minutes of appearances in the Barclay’s Women’s Super League.

• Overwhelmingly, the majority of England Age Group Players have at some point been part of an Academy. 

• Players leaving Academies do so to sign professional contracts, play at higher levels than they previously would do, such as the Barclay’s Women's Championship of FA Women’s National League and also progress to the next stages of their careers, be that in the world of employment or Higher Education at University in the UK or abroad.

• Players in Academies develop holistic skills that make them more confident and employable. 

• PGAs must assist and support players next steps both in football and their career aspirations.

• The time spent at an Academy will vary. For most it will be for the two-year Further Education (FE) study duration, but some players may remain in the Academy post-18. That’s at the discretion of the club.

• At the end of your FE study, the club will discuss the next steps with players and their parents or carers. This will be unique to every Academy player.

Next steps could include:

• A professional contract, where a player immediately goes to the first-team squad;

• A professional contract, but the player goes on a loan period to another club;

• An offer to remain in the Academy as non-professional Higher Education (HE) learner(s), e.g. taking a university course;

• A discussion advising the player to play at a different level as the next step of their football development. This will often involve going to a different club to either help their journey to first team or help them connect to the next step on their football progression.

Regardless of the outcome, the club should be actively supporting players and their parents and carers to source and arrange the next step.

• Every player is different, but there are a number of things to remember about this period:

• Progress is rarely linear. Very few players go immediately from the Academy to the first team. Most go ‘out to go up’ and may move to another club for a period as part of their journey.

• It is important that players get the chance to play. The next step after an Academy needs to be one with a playing opportunity, not endless time on a bench, or not selected.

• Individual players develop their football skills and understanding at different rates. Avoid comparing one players development with her peers, as she may be an early or late developer as a talented player. What’s paramount is every player’s wellbeing and happiness.

• To consider all options requires lots of discussions. Ask questions of all clubs involved.

• Don’t pre-judge clubs, talk to them and ask questions. Consider how the decision you make affects educational and career aspirations. This may influence the decision you make.

• Here are some questions you have every right to ask. The key is to ask them – and any other questions you may have – direct to the Academy Manager first, or to another member of Academy staff.

There are no “right” answers and the answer may change Academy to Academy and in some cases, player to player.

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

• To whom do I speak to if the player needs to live closer to the club/Academy?
• To whom do I speak regarding balancing the pressures of being a dual-career player, i.e. balancing education and football?
• What will the induction process be?
• How will the player be supported when she/they leave the Academy?
• Are there any opportunities for parent and carers, to participate in workshops or other Initiatives?
• What should I expect the players review process will be comprised of and cover?
• What is the role of an intermediary or agent?
• What will an average week look like?
• Might I go out on a dual registration? If so what might that look like?

• Academically, options can include studying to achieve qualifications (e.g. A Levels, BTEC, Degree, etc.). Work-based learning (e.g. apprenticeships) options are also available if a player is better-suited to them.

• Every young person can attend the college/sixth form or university of their choice. However, each PGA is linked to a principal education provider for further education courses. These education providers have been selected for their flexibility of approach and support of elite performers.

• At the end of each educational stage, Academies support a player’s transition. That could be either to the next educational level, or an exit to a career. 

• You may see that many PGAs are underpinned by the services of TASS (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme). TASS is a Sport England-funded partnership between talented athletes, education institutions and national governing bodies of sport (e.g. The FA). All parties work together to bring the best out of our country’s most exciting young talents.

• TASS helps athletes – in this case footballers – to get the very best from their sporting and academic careers without having to choose between the two. Different levels of support are provided across the talent pathway – one level is the support provided to PGAs, tailored to each club.

• Whether it’s a player’s football or educational development, the emphasis is on a programme that’s bespoke to the player. In effect, TASS either fills in service gaps Academies may not be set up to provide, or it provides more facets to existing Academy services. PGAs have the freedom to choose to work with TASS if they wish.

• To read more about TASS, visit www.tass.gov.uk

• DiSE stands for the Diploma in Sporting Excellence.

• PGAs at Category 1, are given the opportunity for their players to enrol on the Diploma in Sporting

• Excellence (DiSE). This opportunity is also there for players who might potential be selected for England but are not in a Category 1 Academy, known as the “England Long List.”

• The DiSE programme is a Government-funded education programme designed to directly measure and enhance the skills, experiences, and knowledge that talented young players develop through football. DiSE is available to players age 16-18, with the content being delivered over two years whilst players are carrying out their further education. DiSE has been recognised by UCAS (University and Colleges Application Service) and completing the programme is the equivalent to achieving two A Levels at grade C (64 UCAS points). The majority of the DiSE programme is made up of players' training and match time, with a series of workshops forming the remainder of the qualification.

• Evidence for the qualification is produced naturally within the learners' Academy environment, as well as being developed in collaboration with Loughborough College tutors.

The DiSE qualification includes support in the following areas:

• Technical skills, Tactical skills and Physical capability: Primarily delivered through the Academy training and competition programme.

• Nutrition and Psychology: Workshop and 1/1 support from qualified specialists.

• Lifestyle, Career, Communication, Health & Safety and Culture, values and behaviour: These are all delivered by the PGA and supplemented with the DiSE Player Care Package.

The DiSE programme gives players additional knowledge, skills, and experiences that will support them not only within, but also outside their sporting career.

• DiSE is unavailable for learners studying at an independent school. However, if learners are in receipt of a bursary of greater than 50% then they are eligible for the programme.

• There is no application process for DiSE. When discussing joining a PGA for the post 16 aspect this is a conversation that will be held with the clubs Player Care Lead, the player and their parents or carers. Players do not have to do DiSE, this is entirely part of their education choices, but if combined correctly creates tremendous flexibility and improved lifestyle balance that credits the work done in the Academy without hampering Higher Education options.

• Speak to your relevant Academy Manager about DiSE options.