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At the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, students don’t have to choose between their education and their sporting ambitions. Open to students studying any course at the college, the Sport Academy provides opportunities to develop skills, improve performance and compete in their chosen sport, with access to expert coaching, quality facilities and support to balance sporting commitments with academic studies.  

The Sport Academy comprises Performance Academies for male and female football, basketball, and netball, as well as the Elite Scholarship Programme, delivered in partnership with the University of Staffordshire.   

The Elite Scholarship Programme supports talented athletes competing at county level or above in any sport, helping them continue their sporting development while working toward their academic goals. The progamme offers a range of benefits, including free gym access, sports therapy sessions, performance testing, specialist workshops and support from university mentors. Students can also receive help catching up on lessons missed due to competitions, helping them manage the demands of training, competition, and college life.  

Among this year’s selected members are first-year students, Ismyeel, Keira and Hubert, who are already achieving impressive results in boxing, CrossFit, and badminton.  

First-year T Level Cybersecurity student Ismyeel Rahimi only began his amateur boxing career a year ago. So far, he has won all six of his fights and secured a Midlands regional title. He has also sparred with multiple national champions and Team GB representatives as he works towards his ambition to represent his country.  

Reflecting on his journey, Ismyeel said: 

Eventually, I came to realise that the pursuit of greatness isn’t for the ordinary; it’s for those willing to go that extra mile and take the toughest challenges.

His goals for the next two years include competing at the Open Class National Championships and qualifying for Team GB, with the long-term dream of becoming a professional boxer and pursuing a world title.  

Being selected for the Elite Scholarship Programme is another important step in his journey. He said:

It means that my hard work and dedication to my sport are being noticed by those around me, and it will definitely help me improve my performance in sport.

First-year student Keira Owen, who is studying BTEC Sport and Exercise Science Extended Diploma, began CrossFit at the age of 11 at her parents’ gym, where her dad is also her coach. Combining weightlifting, gymnastics, strength and endurance, the sport has taken her around the world to compete at the highest level.  

She has won the CrossFit Games for three consecutive years, in 2024, 2025 and 2026, becoming the first female in CrossFit history to win three teenage titles. She has also won two Functional Fitness World Championships representing Great Britain.  

Looking ahead, she hopes to progress into the elite adult division and qualify for the individual CrossFit Games. Being selected for the Elite Scholarship Programme will help her balance her academic studies with the demands of training and international competition. She said: 

It means I don’t have to choose between continuing my education and chasing my dreams in CrossFit, which is really important to me.

Hubert Ceglinski, a first-year BTEC Sport and Exercise Science Extended Diploma student, first became interested in badminton at his local club, where his dad also played. Since then, he has achieved success at the national and international level, winning two bronze medals at the U17 National Championships last year.  

In September, he added to his achievements by winning gold in mixed doubles and silver in singles at an international competition in Slovakia.  

Looking ahead, Hubert hopes to win gold at the National Championships within the next two years and continue progressing in the sport.  

The Elite Scholarship Programme will help him access gym facilities and sports psychology support alongside his studies. He said:

Being selected for the Elite Scholars’ Programme means that I can, alongside my academics, access the gym and good psychological advice, helping me with my sport.

Hubert also praised the college’s support for student athletes, encouraging others to follow their ambitions:

Follow your dreams because the college does everything to help you on this path as a sporting athlete.

Well done to all our first-year students selected for this year’s Elite Scholarship Programme.  

Whether you’re planning to study A Levels, a T Level or a vocational course, you could be eligible for the Elite Scholarship Programme if you compete at county level or equivalent, or above, in your sport.  

Want to take your sport further while working towards your future?