Norwich City are pleased to introduce a new Academy Alumni programme which has been established to support the wellbeing of transitioning players for the Under-9 to Under-21 age groups.
The aims of the programme are as follows:
- To provide post-release wellbeing support, where required, for a three-season period
- To support desired player opportunities through alternative pathways
- To foster a feeling of alumni belonging through regular communication and social activity
The programme will be overseen by our academy wellbeing manager Rossi Jarvis, an academy graduate who played 14 senior games for the Canaries between 2005 and 2008, with support from Isaac Burrage, a former academy player.
Isaac is someone who was part of the Norwich City Academy from the age of nine to 12.
Talking about his motivation to get involved in this new initiative, he said: “Football, like many others, was where I felt comfortable expressing myself. I was fortunate enough to be part of Norwich City’s academy for four seasons from the age of nine to 12.
“To be recognised for my footballing ability made me proud, and it allowed me to develop as a player and a person, access amazing facilities, and play against the best people in my age group across the country.
“I feel very fortunate to have visited some amazing training grounds, such as Arsenal’s Hale End and Chelsea’s Cobham. To see some players I played against now playing professionally is inspiring, such as Eddie Nketiah and Jadon Sancho, to name just two.
“Leaving the academy as a young child was difficult, but the tools this experience gave me are invaluable. I now find myself in a position to support those who are going through the same experiences that I did.
“With the support of the Safer Sport team, we have built the Alumni Programme. The aim of this initiative is to support all young people transitioning out of academy football through our clear transition model. This support can be accessed by all leaving the academy, all the way from Under-9 to Under-21. Our programme aligns with the club’s values and shows our academy alumni that they’ll always be a part of Norwich City.
“As someone who went through this experience, I feel a moral duty to support those who share the same experiences as me, and to show them that the end of one journey is the start of another.”
At this weekend’s fixture against West Bromwich Albion, the Foundation’s ball crew were joined by three of our alumni members: Archie Stockwell, Lynden Long and Hayden Beards.
Archie Stockwell
My time at Norwich was one full of experiences and opportunities. Going to different countries, playing at St George’s Park, playing against the world’s best and biggest teams, and meeting new people were just some of the highlights during my time. A moment I will never forget was beating Barcelona on penalties when we played them in the semi-final of a tournament and went on to win the whole thing without conceding a goal.
Lynden Long
I spent eight years at Norwich City, starting in the pre-academy at Under-6s all the way through to the Under-14s. During my time at this amazing football club, I was fortunate to be part of some fantastic teams and had countless memorable experiences. From international tours to Germany, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland, to playing in the Premier League National Cup matches at the home of England football; St George’s Park. It was truly a journey I’ll never forget.
Hayden Beards
I thoroughly enjoyed my two years with Norwich City Academy. I got to play against many top-level clubs at their training facilities, i travelled abroad to play in tournaments and I spent a weekend at St George's Park when we qualified for the national event.
The facilities at the Avant Training Centre were great and I was supported with my education during our school release days. I especially enjoyed my goalkeeping-specific training and my PT sessions and made a great set of friends who I continue to keep in touch with.
Former academy players interested in learning more can contact academyalumni@canaries.co.uk.