Brightlingsea Regent FC has signed a partnership deal which could see talented young players gain sports scholarships in the United States.

The deal has been signed with U.S Sports Scholarships and US SS Tours, a business Regents’ first team manager Ryan Salter – who is also director of football at the  Sigma Sixth Sports Academy in Clacton – has worked with for several years.

“Our purpose is to work with partner clubs to present options and opportunities for talented young players that they might not realise are possibilities,” said U.S SS managing director Liam Barrett.

A former Brightlingsea attacker, Kenzo Shabazz-Edwards, has recently flown to Oklahoma to start his freshman season with Roger State University. “Hopefully Kenzo is the first of many we can help with the process of becoming a collegiate student-athlete,” added Mr Barrett.

“This gives our younger players, like Kenzo, an amazing opportunity to continue playing the sport they love while travelling and continuing their education,” said Mr Salter.

“Hopefully, following gradation, if they do come back to the UK we can see them back on the field for our first team. Long-term player development and providing first-class exit pathways is a key part of our vision for the club at Brightlingsea, and this partnership aligns perfectly with that.”

U.S SS says that over the past 15 years, it has secured over $30 million worth of sports scholarship awards and sent over 3,000 athletes to the United States and Canada across a variety of different sports including soccer, rugby, golf, track and field, hockey, volleyball, tennis and basketball.

Partner clubs’ players get discounted rates on the company’s services and can attend its events for free.