October 3, 2007
Sport will never be the same again for students at Queen Alexandra College (QAC), now that ex–professional footballer Jason Withe has been appointed to the newly created role of Sports Coach at the college.
Jason Withe, son of ex-England and former Aston Villa footballer Peter Withe, has played for Midland teams including West Bromwich Albion Football Club, and he kicks off his new role in the autumn term at QAC in Harborne – a college for people who are blind, visually impaired and / or have other disabilities.
His duties will include setting up programmes to develop students’ soccer skills and to incorporate swimming and athletics into their sporting activities.
Jason has recently completed a top football coaching qualification, the UEFA Pro Licence, at Warwick University. This qualification enables him to coach in the Premier and Champions Leagues; and is also held by his coaching peers - Steve McClaren, Bryan Robson and Sam Allardyce.
Alex Mellon, QAC Principal, said: “We decided to create this new post because the college is dedicated to creating a greater role in sports for people with disabilities.
“I am delighted that Jason has joined QAC and I know that his experience will be valuable to our students.
“Sport is very important to our students, so it’s good to know that they now have someone to improve their fitness levels and tap into their sporting potential. This will help students to find out what they are capable of achieving and raise their confidence, which is a platform to becoming more independent.”
Jason Withe, QAC Sports Coach, said: “I’m excited about this new role, and find the job very fulfilling. I enjoy the interaction with the students and it has confirmed one of the main reasons I applied for the post, which is to pass on my skills and experience to others and create a better sporting environment at the college.”
Jason’s other accolades include employment as Community Football Development Director at Birmingham City Football Club and Assistant National Coach for the Indonesia Football Association while living in the Far East. He is currently the Chairman and Director of Football at Knowle Football Club.
Ends
Notes to editors
• Queen Alexandra College (QAC) is a registered charity and national college for people who are blind, partially sighted or have other disabilities.
• QAC enables its students to achieve academic and personal success while studying - our encouragement leads to further studies, employment and independent living.
• Visit our website – www.qac.ac.uk
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