We are thrilled to announce the creation of the London Scottish Lions Colts Academy section for the upcoming 2024/25 season. Dean Hislop, who has been an integral part of the successful Lions coaching setup for the past few seasons, will lead this exciting development. We are also delighted to welcome Velocity Trade International Limited (‘Velocity Trade’) as the main sponsor of the London Scottish Lions Colts Academy.

On the pitch, the Lions Colts Academy pathway is designed to bridge the gap between age grade and senior rugby, creating a route into the London Scottish Lions and potentially the Championship side. Off the pitch, it is designed to create vocational opportunities for players leaving education after Sixth Form and for those completing tertiary or other higher education.

Working together with Pathway Support, a dedicated initiative, our players will be provided with opportunities and signposting for development beyond the rugby pitch, balancing education and a career with playing high level rugby. Pathway Support will collaborate closely with Velocity, the LSL Colts Academy, fellow pathway providers and each player and their families to support the player’s motivations and ambitions.

There are already several opportunities available for our academy players to explore. Pathway Support can forge links for work experience across a broad range of sectors such as Law, Education, Media, Energy and Tech. Velocity Trade is a global financial services provider and as such can seek to support and provide a roadmap for opportunities for players interested in pursuing a career in the financial sector.

This year’s intake is open to all players who turn 17 or 18 after 1st September 2024. The academy will focus on delivering rugby through a player centric professional approach offering top-quality facilities, coaching, strength and conditioning, and competitive matches, supported by off the field activities to further develop players helping them to achieve their career ambitions.

On his appointment, Dean said “this is a fantastic development opportunity for both players and the wider club. It provides a link from age grade rugby to higher levels and retains rugby talent within the club. The off field pathway helps prepare young players for careers after their education journey, hopefully giving them an advantage in the job market.”

Supporting this initiative, Ben Brown from Velocity Trade commented “we are very proud to support this initiative with London Scottish Lions. We are already involved in rugby at the grass-roots and professional levels through partnership with Rugby Canada and see this as a continuation in supporting opportunities for young people to develop both on and off the pitch.”

Please contact Dean at coltsacademy@londonscottish.com for further information or any enquiries.