FirstPoint USA are pleased to announce the appointment of Harvey Moyes to the new role of Head of Academy Football Partnerships.
Moyes, a graduate of Northern Kentucky University, joined the world’s leading sports scholarship agency last year, and having impressed during his time in the company’s Talent Management Team, will take on the remit of developing FirstPoint’s network of professional football club academy partners, in England and Scotland.
With FirstPoint USA already supporting a number of clubs through an extension of their unique player care service, which is free of charge to players and clubs, Moyes will be deployed to engage with more clubs as the demand to provide a positive exit route for aspiring academy players increases, helping facilitate life-changing scholarships with university soccer teams in the States.
Fulham, Queen’s Park Rangers and Ross County are among the professional clubs within FirstPoint USA’s partner network, while they have recently brokered student-athlete playing contracts for players from Chelsea, Crytal Palace, Celtic and Rangers at some of the leading collegiate soccer progams in the US. Former Rangers academy defender Matthew Henderson has enjoyed a successful freshman year with D1 powerhouse Penn State, while former Fulham U18s midfielder Murphy Parker will be joining up with the renowned University of Michigan men’s soccer team later this month.
Stuart McCaffrey, FirstPoint USA’s Director of Football welcomed the new appointment: “We’re delighted to see Harvey moving into this new role and he brings a wealth of experience from his time as a player in the States as well as an extensive network here in the UK. It is a very important role for us as we build more club partnerships with those academies who are looking to extend the support they provide to players.”
“While every young footballer wants to make it as a top-level professional, we know that only a tiny percentage will ultimately be successful, so providing an opportunity to continue playing at a high level and study for a degree at the same time, at a world class campus with incredible facilities, is a fantastic option for many players. We’ve also seen an increasing number of footballers progressing from US college soccer into professional leagues across Europe, so there are some great role models for players to follow should they aspire to that route.”
Among FirstPoint USA’s other partnerships are the LFE, the education arm of the Football League in England, and PFA Scotland, two organisations that Moyes will be working closely with.
Harvey Moyes said: “I’m really excited to start my new role with FirstPoint USA and supporting players from more clubs with some amazing opportunities in the US. Having experienced it for myself from my time at Northern Kentucky University, I know what a great option it is and I’m looking forward to sharing my insights with those players considering the student-athlete route.
“Our mantra is offering the best of both worlds for players and keeping options open, whether you want to strive to become a professional, choose a different career path or move into coaching – studying in America offers you that flexibility. We have some great club partners on board already with a proven track record of placing players at some of the top university teams in the country.”
Having also played for the University of Stirling and East Stirlingshire in the Scottish Lowland League, Harvey has recently joined Caledonian Braves and continues to play the game at a high level. He enjoyed three successful seasons for the NKU men’s soccer team, being named in the Horizon League’s All Freshman Team in 2017 and racking up 46 appearances for the Norsemen.
For any professional club academy looking to get in touch with Harvey to find out more about the Educational Partnership service, please contact him via email on harvey.moyes@firstpointusa.com
