Luke making a name for himself in analytics

Scoring a career in football was Luke Dickson’s dream. Three years after graduating from Newcastle College with a degree in Applied Sports Coaching and Science, that dream is alive and kicking.
Luke Dickson with his former Newcastle College tutor Marc Steutel.Luke Dickson with his former Newcastle College tutor Marc Steutel.
Luke Dickson with his former Newcastle College tutor Marc Steutel.

“When I was doing my final year at the college I was also volunteering at Hibernian Football Club in Edinburgh,” explained Berwick-raised Dickson.

“But when I came towards the end of my degree course at Newcastle College I was looking at a number of different options. That’s when I spotted the opportunity with Leicester City.

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“They were funding a research project and I applied like I would for any other postgraduate course. That was my way into the industry and now I’m their Academy Performance Analyst.”

Three years down the line and Dickson is a valued member of the East Midlands club’s staff – focusing on the development of 12-16-year-olds and liaising with senior colleagues to develop best practice and plan for the future. But the 23-year-old has never forgotten his roots and is a regular visitor to his former college.

“Luke is a fantastic example of where hard work, passion and dedication can take you,” said Marc Steutel, Programme Leader, Applied Sports Coaching and Development at Newcastle College. “He regularly returns to the college to talk to students and he’s an inspiration for anyone thinking about a career in sport.

“His role at Leicester City is fascinating and he’s always happy to take questions on his career – and how his time at the college helped him to progress.

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Dickson already has one eye on another successful campaign within the Foxes’ academy.

“I love my job,” he added. “There are no two days the same but the focus is on player development. We film the matches and review the footage – providing the players and coaching staff with useable clips and highlights.

“We feed back to coaches and players and we assess everything to do with performance.

“We look at strengths, weaknesses and areas where players can improve.

For more information on Applied Sports Coaching and Development degree course at Newcastle College visit www.ncl-coll.ac.uk/higher-education