We recently caught up with former FirstPoint USA client, Josh Forth, who has completed the second year of his soccer scholarship at Ancilla College. Our Class of 2015 alumni, has recently committed to play at the University of West Alabama for the remainder of his studies. Here, Josh shares with us experiences of his sophomore year, and offers some advice for prospective student athletes.
Josh tells us that he has thoroughly enjoyed his time at Ancilla College. Stating, “from the first day I arrived, all the students and staff were very kind and very welcoming. I met a lot of new people from all over the world which had allowed me to gain a broader outlook on life, and feel like I have grown as a person.”
Finding the right balance between studying, training and socialising can be difficult to do. We asked Josh how he found juggling all three...
“At first, it’s hard to manage your time due to the intense training schedule and games. Also, being away for days at a time when playing away can make it difficult. However, once you get into a routine it’s much easier.”
With regard to the facilities at Ancilla, Josh tells us that it is not a huge program there, so the facilities are not as flashy as some of the bigger institutions. But, notes that this did not seem to affect the success of him and his teammates on the field. However, Josh also stated that student athletes at Ancilla did have access to very good fitness facilities located not far from campus.
We asked Josh if what the jump was like, from playing as a freshman to a sophomore...
“As Ancilla College is a junior college, the leap from freshman to sophomore is a massive one. There’s a lot riding on how you perform in your sophomore year, as that could be the season which determines where you will be transferring to the following year.”
[caption id="attachment_11801" align="aligncenter" width="453"] Josh will soon be playing for the UWA Tigers[/caption]Josh states that his personal highlight from throughout his sophomore year would have to be getting ranked 3rd in the Nation, and making it to the Final Four of the National tournament. Adding that, his team won the conference for the second consecutive year, and won the region for the first time in the programs history, which was a huge achievement.
Finally, we asked Josh what advice he would give to anyone who may be considering pursuing a sports scholarship...
“It’s a great opportunity for any player who is willing to work hard on the pitch as well as in the classroom. It’s a great route to play professionally, and if that doesn’t work out, you still have a degree to fall back on.”
We’d like to thank Josh for keeping us updated on his progress out in the states, it’s great to hear how a former client is getting on. We wish Josh the best of luck for his transfer to the University of West Alabama!
