Team Nottingham is a consortium of professional sporting organisations comprising Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Nottingham Rugby Club, the National Ice Centre, Epic Partners, City of Football and the Football in the Community arms of Nottingham Forest & Notts County.

The consortium is working in partnership with the Royal Foundation, the charity of Prince Harry and the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, to deliver Coach Core; a programme for school leavers to train as professional sports coaches whilst still in education.

It provides apprentices with an opportunity to develop their coaching skills, to gain valuable sports coaching qualifications and to be provided with education opportunities through training provider Lifetime, who will work with them to complete a diploma.

The programme enables the apprentices to work within their chosen sports, such as cricket, football, rugby and ice sports, as well as becoming a combined coaching workforce for major events.

Nottingham’s consortium approach is a pilot project for the Royal Foundation that’s set to be repeated in other parts of the country.

In February 2016, Prince Harry visited the Coach Core Nottingham cohort at Trent Bridge, where he joined the apprentices as they led sessions with local school children in cricket, hockey, football and rugby.

“We have seen the difference that this scheme makes to so many young people and the transformation in attitude and outlook is remarkable.”
Mark Worrall – Trent Bridge Community Trust Trustee