BUDDING sports coaches will benefit from a new partnership meaning they will be able to use Premier League standard facilities.

The University Centre at Blackburn College (UCBC) has teamed up with Blackburn Rovers to offer two new foundation degrees in sports coaching.

The partnership will see two new foundation degree courses in sports coaching and performance and community coaching and sport development, validated by The University of Glamorgan.

Students on the course will be able to specialise in a range of sports and will benefit from guest lectures and visits, including from Blackburn Rovers physiotherapists, sport scientists, nutrition specialists and performance analysts.

They will also be provided with the opportunity to undertake UK Coaching Certificates Levels One and Two as part of the course at no additional cost.

Justine Walker, course manager for the foundation degree in health and personal training at the college, said: “Both of the programmes will prepare students for a career in coaching with a sport development focus.

“Rovers are regarded as leaders in the field of coach education and take great pride in ensuring they remain at the forefront of advances in coaching techniques and player/coach development.

“Students will have the opportunity to interact with both the first team and academy players at the club and can use many of the facilities at Rovers as part of the course as well as our own facilities at UCBC.”

The courses will be launched at an event at Ewood Park on Monday.

A spokesman for Blackburn Rovers said: “As far as we are aware, this is the first partnership of its kind in the Premier League or Football League.

“Throughout the degree, the students will use the facilities at Rovers in order to gain the necessary skillsets to allow them to enter the world of work in two years time.”