[gallery ids="14181,14180"] The College of West Anglia has today, 24th March, launched a new partnership with King’s Lynn Town Football Club, which will see a much closer relationship between the college sports academies and the Linnets. The scheme will see students receiving both academic and sporting tuition in an exciting partnership that will further develop the links between the football club and the local community. Young people in West Norfolk are invited to trials for the two football academies – for one male team and one female team – on 31st May at CWA’s sports campus, based at Lynnsport. Trials are open to 16 – 18 year olds who are either enrolled at the college or will be enrolled as of September. Club Chairman Stephen Cleeve said: “It is something I have been very keen to get organised and I’m very pleased that our partners will be CWA. Our own Ray Hall will be involved in the selection process of student enrolment with The Walks being used not only for football purposes but academic ones as well. I cannot wait to see the scheme begin and hopefully see the fruits that this scheme will bear.” As from next season, the club’s reserve team will now be known as King’s Lynn Town Reserves (CWA) Football club. The new branding will then be rolled out to the club’s ladies team for season 2018/19. Andrew Gedge, Director of Attainment and Student Experience at the College of West Anglia, said: “The College is particularly pleased to establish our relationship with King’s Lynn Town FC again. We know for both parties this link works incredibly well. We as a college give young people the quality education that they require to gain sustainable employment, whilst now, at the same time the new partnership will be providing opportunities for King’s Lynn to attract and nurture the very best of young talent. “We are excited by the opportunity to work with Ian Culverhouse who has demonstrated a commitment to engage with our younger players. We have already seen the benefit of that in both the attitudes of our young people towards their studies and the standards of football they can now play consistently at.” Scott Leadley, programme manager for sport at the College of West Anglia, said: “The new partnership offers students a fantastic opportunity to be involved with a professional sports club; working with ex-professional coaches and having the chance to wear the King’s Lynn Town Football Club’s colours for their fixtures and training sessions. They get to do all of this whilst completing their studies at the CWA sports campus. “Opportunities will be available to try out for both the male and female football development squads at CWA. There will also be occasions where students can play exhibition matches at The Walks and undertake specialised coaching sessions with King’s Lynn Town’s coaches and players. “On Wednesday 31st May, we will be holding the first trials for these academies and there will be other chances to get involved over the coming months. To take part in this exciting partnership you will need to be enrolled on a College of West Anglia course.”