Crewe Alexander footballer says her time at college gave her the skills to achieve

A striker for Crewe Alexander women’s football team says her time studying sport at Cambridge Regional College gave her the boost she needed to kick start a great career.

Natalie Richardson said her tutors were superb role models who gave her the skills she needed to achieve.

Natalie was a Sports student with CRC from 2008 to 2011, and played for the college women’s football team, while also playing for Cambridge United Football Club.

“Tutors inspired us all to work hard and listen. They gave us the self-belief to know we can achieve if we put our minds to it,” she said.

Natalie moved from playing for Cambridge to QPR women’s team, Watford, Ipswich and is now a striker for Crewe Alexander.

While playing she has worked as a girls and women’s football development officer, as an area manager in London for Fit For Sport and in Cambridgeshire for the Sports 4 Schools programme.

She is currently in Cheshire where she works for Pentagon Play, a firm which designs and builds bespoke play equipment for schools to encourage young people to stay fit and active.

“Studying sport after leaving school channelled my career into an area in which I love working,” Natalie said. “The great thing about CRC was the mix of practical and written work. It was a good balance and a great stepping stone to putting me on the right path for my future.”