Australian recognised for on and off-field achievements
- Nicholas Bilokapic named in LFE’s ‘The 11’
- Academy goalkeeper recognised for work on and off the pitch
- Australian has been capped by his country to Under-18 level
Huddersfield Town Academy goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic has been recognised by League Football Education (LFE) for his achievements on and off the pitch during the 2020/21 season!
Town’s Australian shot-stopper has been named in the LFE’s ‘The 11’, which acknowledges the football and academic progress of Under-18 players on apprenticeships at current or former English Football League (EFL) clubs
Inclusion in ‘The 11’ is also designed to assess other factors, including involvement in community or charity-based initiatives.
A total of 33 apprentices are selected for the award during the 2020/21 season, which celebrates the holistic development of young players and is a barometer applied to the LFE Apprentice of the Year awards.
Notable academy graduates to earn the accolade includes Jude Bellingham (formerly of Birmingham City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (formerly of Sheffield United), Ademola Lookman (formerly of Charlton Athletic), Oli McBurnie (formerly of Bradford City) and Ryan Sessegnon (formerly of Fulham).
LFE chief executive Sarah Stephen added: “The 11 is directly associated with apprentice reviews that are conducted by our Regional Officers throughout the season. It is a great way to highlight the achievements and progression of talented young footballers, who apply themselves to all aspects of their apprenticeship.”
Australian Under-18 international Nicholas joined Town from Sydney United in February 2020 and, despite starting six months after the rest of his teammates, the promising goalkeeper was the first of his peers to complete the BTEC qualification, while he has also finalised the NVQ Diploma and Functional Skills in English and maths.
LFE Regional Officer Pat Lally explained:
“Nick has a fantastic attitude and work ethic, which can be evidenced by the fact that he completed his BTEC in just over a year. He is a credit to his family, club and most importantly he deserves nothing but the highest of praise for the way he has performed academically since joining the club.
“Nick is a fantastic character and has been a pleasure to work with during the past two years. He also participated in a Deep Dive conducted by Julie Gibson (LFE Consultant and occasional Ofsted Inspector) and she was full of praise for his mature attitude, communication skills and knowledge of the BTEC. The fact that he has been living away in a completely different environment, culture and in digs, speaks volumes about this young man.
“Although he has completed all his academic work for this year, Nick has decided to undertake a Business Administration course along with learning a language, Croatian, which is where his family originated from.
“On the pitch, he always gives 100%, irrespective of what squad he is training or playing for. Additionally, he has always been keen to get himself involved in delivering coaching sessions for the club’s Community Trust when the opportunity arises. He is very respectful to his teammates and staff and is very highly thought of by everyone at the Club.”
For more info on 'The 11', click HERE.
