Edusport Academy: 15 Years, and the Same Flame Burns On

A Vision, a Belief, a Project

On May 5, 2011, the Edusport Academy team laid the foundations of an innovative and ambitious project: to offer young athletes far more than a training ground. A complete life experience, away from home, in a demanding and stimulating environment, blending sport, education and personal growth. A clear vision, carried with conviction from day one. Fifteen years later, that project speaks for itself.

600 Players, 600 Stories

Since our founding in 2011, more than 600 players have walked through the doors of Edusport Academy. Many arrive with a dream of a sporting career, and leave with something far more solid: a recognised sport management degree that opens doors to a wide range of professional opportunities around the world. Because Edusport Academy is, above all, a demanding student-athlete programme, built on 15 years of experience and expertise, designed to allow young people to combine high-level sport with quality academic training. A human and professional experience that prepares them concretely for today's world.

A Project in Constant Motion

Edusport Academy has never been a static project. From the very beginning, it has evolved and grown to better meet the needs and ambitions of the young people it welcomes. Launched in 2011 with football as its founding discipline, the academy progressively expanded its offering: rugby joined the adventure in 2017, followed by dance in 2018, then basketball in 2019. Today, football and rugby form the core of our activity, while dance and basketball remain disciplines integrated into our project, ready to welcome new students.

A Unique Status in the World of Football & Partners of Reference

But Edusport Academy is much more than a student-athlete academy. Since 2014, we have been official members of the Scottish Football Association (SFA), making us the first and only football academy in the world to be a member of a FIFA-affiliated federation. A unique status, which speaks to the seriousness and ambition that have driven us from the very beginning. From this recognition was born, in 2019, Caledonian Braves FC — our professional club competing in the Lowland League, the 5th division of Scottish football. A revolutionary project in the world of football: today, the Caledonian Braves bring together more than 8,000 investors from 64 countries across the globe — from the United States to Australia, from France to the United Arab Emirates, through Canada and many more. A unique international community, where each investor actively participates in the club's strategic decisions.

This ambition is also reflected in the quality of our academic partners, carefully selected to offer our student-athletes a world-class education. Sport Business and Sport Management courses are delivered in partnership with the Johan Cruyff Institute, globally recognised for the quality of its programmes. Thanks to a flexible online format, our student-athletes can train in Sport Marketing, Sport Strategy and Sponsorship, Sports Law and Strategic Management of Sports Organisations — without ever sacrificing their training. For English language proficiency, we have been working for over 10 years with the City of Glasgow College and the Glasgow School of English. Students are supported in small groups according to their level and prepared for the TOEIC, an internationally recognised certification. Finally, for those who wish to go even further, our partnership with Icadémie offers the option of obtaining a French higher education degree — a rare opportunity that opens additional doors on an international scale. Three partners of reference, one single goal: to make Edusport Academy far more than a sports academy, but a true launchpad into the professional world.

What Our Alumni Do Says It All

The true impact of Edusport Academy is measured by what those who come through it go on to achieve. And their paths speak for themselves. In the world of finance and business, our alumni hold prominent positions: Wealth Manager at Société Générale. In the tech and innovation space, they are making their mark at world-leading companies: Data Analyst at ENSEIRB-MATMECA, Data Center Operations Technician at Amazon Web Services (AWS), and EMEA Distribution Manager at Tesla. In sport and coaching, they pass on what the academy taught them: U14 Coach at PSG Féminin, and Deputy Director and Assistant Head Coach at Nike.

Different trajectories, across continents and sectors. But all carrying the same mark: that of a demanding, human and internationally-minded education. And if one wants to understand where this vision comes from, one need only look at the man who founded it. Originally from Glasgow, drawing on his experience as a professional footballer in Scotland and as a student-athlete in the United States, Chris settled in Paris in 2004 before founding Edusport Academy in 2011. Holding a UEFA coaching licence and a Master's in International Sport Management from the Johan Cruyff Institute, he himself embodies the values he passes on: combining sporting excellence with solid academic training, to prepare young people for today's world.

The Bonds We've Built: Our Sincerest Pride

Beyond the numbers and the career paths, what we cherish most after 15 years are the human bonds that have been woven over time. Bonds with the players, of course, but also with their families, who trusted us with what they held most precious. Bonds with staff members, partners, volunteers and all those who have, in one way or another, contributed to keeping this project alive. These lasting relationships, these reunions at events, these messages received years after a departure — this is what gives meaning to our work every day. This is what confirms, year after year, that what we do truly matters.

15 Years On, the Journey Continues

We are not writing this anniversary as a conclusion or a final chapter. We are writing it as a turning point — a moment to step back with gratitude, before moving forward with even greater ambition. Because the young people who will join the academy tomorrow deserve exactly the same attention, the same caring high standards and the same humanity as those who came through here fifteen years ago. Because each new cohort brings its own challenges, surprises and beautiful stories to be written. And because we sincerely believe that the most beautiful pages of Edusport Academy may not yet have been written.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this adventure, near or far. Thank you to the players, the families, the partners, the staff members past and present. You are the reason we keep going, every day, with the same flame as in 2011. The adventure continues. And the best is yet to come.