A Coventry Sphinx player is celebrating after winning a prestigious football scholarship to play and study in the USA.
Carl Winterbottom, 20, a National Diploma in Sports student at Henley College in Coventry travelled to the USA last week to take up the scholarship at Davenport University in Michigan where he will study Business Management and play football for the university.
“I am really excited about going to America and can’t wait! This is a great opportunity for me. Most professional sportsmen and women in the US are products of such scholarships and this could be my stepping stone to playing in the MLS, the American football league where England’s David Beckham plays for LA Galaxy.”
Carl had already accrued an impressive list of accomplishments during his college career including playing in the FA Vase quarter final with Coventry Sphinx last season, and can now add an academic award that represents the pinnacle of scholarly achievement.
“Playing in FA cup Vase quarter-final was the highlight of my career so far, and I would like to thank Coventry Sphinx for having given me the opportunity to play at such a level. I will miss my team mates when I travel to America.”
Sphinx Chairman Neil Long is rightly proud of Winterbottoms achievement saying, “It is a joy to watch Carl develop into the talented footballer he is today and he fully deserves the opportunity to improve himself and his future prospects in America. His family is rightly proud of him as we are at Coventry Sphinx and he goes with our full support and best wishes. We have no doubt that he will be a success in the States”
Sphinx first team coach and Henley College lecturer John Woodward presented Carl with a framed photo and a signed shirt on behalf of the club.
Kelly Davis, a sports tutor at Henley College Coventry worked with Carl and is full of praise for him "All of us at Henley College Coventry are extremely proud of Carl for what he has accomplished throughout his career. The scholarship merely confirms what we have known all along - that this is a tremendous young man with a very bright sporting future ahead of him. He has represented us well, and we're honoured that he chose Henley College Coventry to nurture his talent.”
During his time at Henley College Coventry, Carl also gained his FA Level 1 Coaching badge.
