NFL stars inspire United's Academy players
NFL stars Byron Jones and Danielle Hunter were recently invited to Carrington to take part in a series of engaging Q&A sessions with members of the Manchester United Academy.
The Academy strives to offer our young players opportunities they otherwise may not get if it weren't for the association with United.
In listening to the experiences of Byron and Danielle, players in our Professional Development Phase heard brilliant tales of resilience and learned about the journeys both players went on to reach the NFL.
Byron and Danielle discussed their own paths to get to where they are and the obstacles they have had to overcome to achieve success.
The pair highlighted the importance of focus, consistency and challenging adversity. They both believe that the key to building strong resilience is in the individual, rather than an abstract concept.
They also encouraged our young players to study their own game and continually strive to better themselves, which aligns with the philosophy at the Academy.
Being able to hear from people who have been there and done it serves as great inspiration to the young United players, who have the ultimate aim of making football their full-time career.
Director of the Academy, Nick Cox, championed the impact of events such as this:
"Having Byron and Danielle talk to our young players about the roads they have been on is a great inspiration for them. We continually look to give our Professional Development Phase group a rounded education and building a strong resilience is at the heart of that.
"These sessions were part of our CORE development programme that helps our young players grow off the field as well as on it. Professional football is a competitive industry and in order for our boys to have the best chance of reaching their potential, experiences such as this are vital."