Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has decided to create an academy to help non-league players make a pathway for themselves.
After winning the Premier League title and showing everybody that just because you have 5000-1 odds of winning the title, doesn’t mean you cannot do it, Jamie Vardy has decided to create his own football academy called V9 Academy. He hopes to create an easier pathway for non-league players like himself.
The England international was instrumental in helping his side win their first ever league title. He did so by scoring the most consecutive goals to start the season, defeating Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of 10 matches.
Vardy, a former non-league player is someone to look up to. At the age of 29, Vardy went from seventh tier England football, all the way to Premier League champion. “I was told I was too small, that I was not ready for the physicality of scholarship,” said Vardy.
“I don’t think anyone can be told if they’re good enough at 15 or 16, when you still have so many years to grow and develop.”
Vardy hopes that creating this academy will help show players not part of the football league system in England to not give up on their dreams and always play the sport they love.
While playing in lower tier England leagues, Vardy worked odd jobs to help pay for his living, since teams in the lower leagues are mostly semi-professional and do not offer a lot of money for their players. Vardy went from playing for Halifax Town in the countries fifth tier National League, to joining Leicester City in 2012 and helping the team secure promotion to the EPL.
The academy experience will also be a part of a documentary by Zig Zag productions called “Jamie Vardy’s Having an Academy” which will be a three-part story following the academy’s inaugural class.
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