St Patrick's College is this morning unveiling a huge sporting partnership with English sporting giant Liverpool Football Club.
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The school will become a hub in the region for Liverpool FC International Academy programs, offering elite-level coaching and training to all promising players - not limited to students at the school.
As part of the partnership, St Pats will launch a co-curricular high performance soccer school program from 2024.
The program is designed to mirror an environment experienced by players on high-performance pathways in the United Kingdom.
St Pats is renowned Australia-wide as a strong development ground for Australian Rules footballers but, in a statement to media, principal Steven O'Connor said this was an exciting way to access "extraordinary approaches and training techniques of one of the great soccer (or football) clubs of the world".
In Australia, Liverpool FC International Academy is a project co-delivered with the Australian College of Physical Education, an independent higher education provider for specialist degrees in sport, education, health, sport business and dance.
ACPE is also home to Australia's first Bachelor of Football (development, management and performance) preparing passionate lovers of the sport for careers in various sectors of the football industry.
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Liverpool FC International Academy has been establishing partner programs with at least seven Victorian schools, including Catherine McAuley College in Bendigo and St Joseph's College in Geelong.
The academy's football operations lead Scott Collis said this was a great chance to create a unique environment with St Pats and coaches and players in the wider Ballarat community.
"Liverpool Football Club's vision is to be the world leader in developing young people through football," Ms Collis said. "We want our programs to deliver not only strong football outcomes but also contribute to a young person's journey wherever their pathway leads."
The Courier understands the academy will host community training sessions and school holiday programs to promising players in the region, not just St Pats' students.
St Pats and Liverpool FC will launch the academy in a special function at the school on Thursday, November 16.
