How a Queensland school can pave the path to NFL stardom
A shot at America’s biggest sporting league is now closer than ever for Aussie kids thanks to a landmark deal involving a Gold Coast school.
QLD News
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IT’S Queensland’s own field of American dreams.
The NFL’s quest to unearth the next international superstar starts on the Gold Coast on Saturday when hundreds of hopefuls from across the country turn out for a shot at one of the world’s biggest sporting leagues following a landmark deal between the American giant and a Gold Coast high school.
AB Paterson College will be home of the NFL Academy (Asia-Pacific) with the school to serve as a pathway to American college scholarships and ultimately dreams of NFL stardom.
The Academy’s initial intake – to be selected from tryouts at Arundel, Sydney and Auckland over the coming weeks, will start in September using temporary facilities while a multimillion-dollar three-storey centre is under construction.
Successful applicants will attend AB Paterson as students on full scholarships for the remainder of their high school years while also participating in the elite NFL development program.
The academy is already recruiting coaches while some of the NFL’s international staff will also be based at the venue in a bid to turn kids from across the Asia-Pacific region into future stars of American football.
There is already a similar venture in Europe and the NFL is committed to pouring millions of dollars into the Aussie equivalent and chose AB Paterson after an extensive scouting expedition last year.
Highlighted by the Super Bowl watched around the world, the popularity of American football has exploded in popularity Down Under in recent years, in part fuelled by the journeys of Jarryd Hayne, Valentine Holmes and Jordan Mailata to the NFL arena.
Mailata, a former South Sydney Under 20s rugby league player who played in the Super Bowl for his Philadelphia Eagles two years ago, visited AB Paterson when the project was announced in April and said it was “an amazing opportunity” to have a pathway to the NFL starting at a Gold Coast school.
AB Paterson acting principal Charlotte Brook said the school would serve as a beacon for those hoping for a shot at playing in the NFL.
“We’re really excited to be able to inspire young people across Queensland and Australia to be the next Jordan Mailata in our own field of dreams,” she said.
“We’re incredibly excited.
“The opportunities it will provide for our students are just endless.”
AB Paterson student Sam Brookes said he “would love to have a crack” and it was incredible to think the school could be playing a role in producing future stars for America’s biggest sports league.
“It’s pretty inspiring that a career path to the NFL: could start right here,” he said.
Talent identified at the initial sessions, called combines, will be invited back to the school for further athletic testing before undertaking aptitude tests to pass the AB Paterson college enrolment process which could earn them scholarships worth up to $100,000.
NFL’s Gold Coast Academy last piece of jigsaw in sporting behemoth’s Aussie assault
NFL Academy launches on the Gold Coast that will service entire Asia-Pacific region
Originally published as How a Queensland school can pave the path to NFL stardom
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