The unique collaboration will immerse talented cricketers in high-level coaching, strength and conditioning and match play alongside a degree at Sheffield Hallam University. Practice sessions are carefully arranged around academic commitments to ensure students can thrive in both their sporting and educational pursuits.
The combined cricket academy and degree programme presents a rare opportunity for committed student-athletes to maximize their athletic potential while securing their future prospects beyond the field. Graduates will leave with cricket abilities refined on Sheffield's top-tier grounds and facilities, as well as a globally recognised degree from Sheffield Hallam University.
The UNIPRO R66T Academy and Sheffield Hallam programme allows players to develop a well-rounded skill set on and off the field. The combination of top-level athletic development and academic credentials provides a strong foundation for individuals to build a successful career as either an elite athlete or in alternative sporting pathways.
Sheffield-born Joe Root, Founder of R66T Academy, and current England international cricketer said: “This is a really special project for myself, my brother Billy and my dad Matt as we’ll be welcoming players from all around the world to our home city of Sheffield. It’s a great opportunity for players to gain a degree whilst taking their game to the next level. The coaches leading the programme have coached me and they’ll be delivering a great cricket programme to test the players whilst enjoying their cricket.”
Chris Millard, Managing Director of The R66T Academy, said: “This is a fantastic project for us at The R66T Academy, it’s in keeping with our mission to provide high quality coaching opportunities to players around the world. Combining this with a degree from Sheffield Hallam is a truly unique and exciting prospect for players to combine training and learning. I’d like to thank Sheffield Hallam University for helping us develop this programme and UNIPRO and we’re all very excited to welcome the first cohort in September 2025.”
Geraldine Jackson, CEO at UNIPRO, said: “UNIPRO are proud to have formed this very innovative programme in partnership with The R66T Academy. We believe this will be a resounding success for the benefit of students and we are pleased to include cricket into our sporting portfolio.”
Dr Ruth M Crabtree, Head of the School of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam, said: “We pride ourselves at Hallam on applied learning and transforming lives, not only of our students but also all stakeholders that we work with. This partnership is another example of how we work with industry to offer innovative programmes that enable our students to participate in sport whilst studying at the same time. We are extremely proud of the positive impacts our graduates have on society in all aspects of the sport sector.”
For more information and to apply for the programme, visit https://www.therootacademy.co.uk/cricket-academy/unipro-r66t-academy/. or https://uniprouk.com/cricket/
