World Cup football star Jamie Vardy has teamed up with a Dundee-based business in an effort to boost the prospects of amateur players.
The England striker’s V9 Academy is working with learning and development company Insights to develop personality profiles for players and coaching staff .
Vardy, who featured in the country’s recent knockout win over Columbia in Russia, launched the academy to help discover non-league talent and promote them to the professional game.
The company has so far developed a profile and workshop experience for 42 players, eight coaches and the V9 team – including Vardy himself.
According to Insights, its self-awareness workshops help the athletes understand the importance of recognising differences in personality traits in a more positive way.
Account manager Martin Kiddie said: “It’s widely acknowledged that the work we do has a serious impact on the corporate world.
“However, many people wouldn’t expect Insights Discovery to translate into the sporting world – but it absolutely does.
“Increased self-awareness helps an athlete understand how they take on new information and prepares them for the high-pressure situation they’re entering and can make the difference between a ‘good’ performance and a ‘great’ one.
He added: “Only around 5% of players are likely to be successful in obtaining a full-time professional contract.
“But everyone who goes through the V9 Academy will benefit from the increased self-awareness and awareness of other personality preferences.
“We’re helping enable these young people to be the best version of themselves, whether they become professional footballers or not.”
Vardy, whose goals led Leicester to a remarkable Premiership title win in 2016, featured as a substitute in England’s first-ever World Cup penalty shootout win on Wednesday versus Columbia.
Despite having an 80% penalty conversion rate at club level, the 31-year-old Sheffield born star was not one of the five takers.
England will now meet Sweden in the quarter finals on Saturday at 3pm.
The centre forward, who scored 20 goals last season for Premiership side Leicester City, said the profiles are hugely valuable.
He said: “It was really surprising how accurate it was.
“It makes you find out the little things that wind people up but get people going as well so that’s obviously going to benefit you and the team.”
Founded over 20 years ago in the city, Insights works with some of the world’s biggest companies, helping them increase self-awareness, improve relationships, and solve pressing business issues.
