Ever watched your idols shine on the big stage (or pitch) and felt determined to someday make that be you? 

Under Armour are gifting the golden opportunity of visibility and victory and are calling for the newest host of talented young athletes aged between 16-20 in London to join them in the UA Next Programme, designed to elevate the top performers in their field and reward their determination to prosper at the highest level. UA Next has already challenged over 12,500 young athletes as it concludes its ninth season and is now entering a renewed and restructured era for UANEXT.LONDON. 

This is an electrifying chance for gifted competitors to challenge themselves across tests designed to showcase their sporting prowess, and be mentored towards championing their hard work and motivation into tangible triumph at the highest level. 

The UA Next Academy aims to champion the underdog and reward the competitor who strives for glory. It’s more than simply sponsorship; social, psychological and community driven partnerships are key to making the next generation of sporting sensations shine. This project is designed to widen the accessibility of elite opportunities for London’s Gen-Z athletes to become the best version of themselves possible – regardless of their gender or background.   

If you embody skills such as resilience, determination, innovation and leadership-both on and off the field – then you may have what it takes to compete for a spot for development at UA Next under their exciting new relaunch. The three-phase programme will see those who qualify through the tests at London Battersea Power Station make their way into the strenuous second round at the UA Next Camp, where they are designed to achieve their utmost level of strength and willpower to make it out as one of the select few UA Next Athletes supported by an incredible 12 month sponsorship contract, which involves specialist training in key areas such as sports psychology, strength and conditioning and nutrition,  alongside the chance to kickstart a career in the sport they’ve worked their whole lives for. Hundreds of hours and countless sacrifices later, it all worked out for the chosen few who represent what it truly means to make it as a pro.

As the current season of searching for stardom draws to a close, 12 of the best across a variety of athletic disciplines were pushed to their limits, and then even further at the inaugural UA Next Camp in London. With a host of well-known sporting titans involved with the Under Armour name, the young stars who fought to earn themselves a shot at glory were greeted by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to grant a select 4 their highly coveted Under Armour contracts. The sport brand’s global ambassador worked closely to review each athlete’s performance in acute detail, consulted with the experienced coaches and listened to the impactful speeches from the athletes invited to Camp to make his final verdict on who has the winning mentality of a true athlete and to separate the good, the great, and the glorious. Mentality and mindset is not only crucial to standing out from the crowd and showcasing individual strength and unique ability: it’s integral to Mikel’s own philosophy of success at one of the most globally recognised Premier League football clubs. We are beginning to see a cultural shift in recognising and rewarding mental toughness alongside physical and tactical talent, and Under Armour are here to search for those who can confidently embody that exclusive skillset.

UA Next is designed to shape the attitude and grit of athletes to drive for more within themselves. For those currently going through the programme, the sense of accomplishment and awe are palpable. Athlete Zara expressed “I know what I want to do with it. I know exactly where my mind’s at. I’m ready for it… I want to really help people get into their mental game”. 

Whatever the discipline, from basketball to football, to boxing or alpine skiing, the newest generation of athletes daring to be different are invited to ‘be the problem’ and elevate themselves to unlock levels of greatness, in the name of Under Armour. Through tests designed to draw out the utmost agility, determination and disruption possible, London’s young sporting leaders have an incredible opportunity to showcase themselves, hunt for success, and dare to turn their dreams into reality. If you’re an aspiring baller aged 16-20 and you believe you have what it takes to be the next Emily Fox or Ferran Torres, then check out what Under Armour can offer you. 

The trailer for the first UA Next London Camp is available now, and through @uanext.london on Tiktok and Instagram you can watch how the challenges played out London’s finest and witness who is crowned glory.

➡️  https://www.underarmournext.co.uk/

We’re super excited to announce that we’ve been nominated for the 2024 Football Content Awards in the Women’s Football Organisation category!

The awards recognise those that have made a significant contribution to women’s football through their coverage, initiatives, and community-building efforts.

Congratulations to all the nominees on making the finalist list!

We’ve been working hard at She’s A Baller over the past four months and have:

We’ve got lots of exciting plans still lined up, including the launch of our new You Tube channel – coming soon…

We want to thank our incredible community, followers and audience for their beautiful support! You can vote here:

https://footballcontentawards.com/voting/

A new structure has been announced for the elite women’s game

Today the legal ownership of the Women’s Super League and Women’ Championship transferred from The Football Association to the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL)

What you need to know:

What don’t we know?

It’s an exciting and transitional time for women’s football and this is the first step into a new era.