IOF International Football Academy brochure for the full-time football and education programme based at Denstone College in Staffordshire, England. It is aimed at ambitious young football players seeking a pathway into professional football, USA soccer scholarships, or sports industry careers through elite coaching combined with academic education. The brochure opens with an introduction to IOF…
This brochure presents the IOF International Football Academy, a full-time football and education programme based at Denstone College in Staffordshire, England. It is designed for ambitious young football players seeking a pathway into professional football, USA soccer scholarships, or careers in the sports industry through elite coaching combined with academic education.
The document introduces the academy's directors, Russ Hullett and Jamie Bennett, detailing their professional backgrounds. Russ Hullett has held senior coaching and scouting roles at Premier League clubs including Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Manchester United, and serves as an FA Regional Coach Developer. Jamie Bennett has built a successful USA soccer scholarship company supporting over 1,000 international student-athletes.
The IOF philosophy follows a player-centred approach inspired by English Premier League EPPP guidelines, emphasising maximum ball contact, small group coaching, and age-appropriate development. The technical staff includes Rob Francis as Head of Performance, Jack Wood as UEFA B Coach, and the two directors.
Denstone College is described as a leading independent school with around 950 pupils, academic excellence including Oxford and Cambridge progression, first-class boarding facilities, and a high-performance sporting environment. The setting is rural Staffordshire on the Derbyshire border, with two all-weather pitches, a strength and conditioning room, and proximity to professional clubs and St George's Park.
The full-time programme combines daily elite coaching with a full UK school timetable. Students are grouped into High Performance and Development programmes. The programme includes ISFA and ESFA competitions, the Midland Youth Floodlit League through partner club Uttoxeter Town FC, FA Youth Cup participation, World Student Games in Barcelona, and the IOF USA Las Vegas Mayor's Cup Showcase.
Additional programmes covered are the Pre-Academy Football Programme, Football Gap Year for UK and international students, and the IOF USA Soccer Scholarship route. The brochure also presents player pathway and successes, weekly training schedules, fixtures and tours showcase, assessment booking process, programme fees, and contact information.