Glasgow-based sports agency FirstPoint USA has launched a digital platform which matches young athletes with scholarships at US universities.
More than 2,000 universities and around 6,000 coaches have registered for the service ahead of the autumn 2020 round of scholarships. FirstPoint says that by launching a free service it has made places more accessible and affordable for many potential scholar-athletes who were previously required to pay service fees and faced costly travel to interviews. The company has invested a six-figure sum in the digital platform.
CEO and founder Andrew Kean, who benefited from a football scholarship at the University of Cincinnati in 1997, said: “The new FirstPoint USA digital platform is years in the making and has only been possible due to significant investment – but it is truly a game-changer. The current environment is clearly not without serious challenges but the beauty of this platform is that scholar-athletes can directly engage online with universities and colleges, who remain busy recruiting talent for 2020/21.
“For the first time ever, anyone can now access a scholarship via our new platform which brings the universities and colleges directly in touch with the user. This means more access for more athletes and for more coaches and the US universities are really buying into it – they are absolutely crying out for international talent for the 2020/21 academic year.
“FirstPoint USA can continue to provide various levels of service and support however this platform removes that barrier for those who may not be able to afford it. For 18 years we have successfully secured scholarships for thousands of talented individuals who have gone on to enjoy life-changing experiences – this platform means we can reach even more people with these opportunities.”
