A STUDENT at the University of Worcester will spend six weeks coaching children’s football in Sri Lanka this summer.

Michael Brown, a first year sports coaching science student, will fly to Ja-Ela in July to coach football in some of the poorest schools in the area.

Brown, 20, from Sheffield, will be working in a coaching placement arranged by the volunteers’ agency Travellers Worldwide.

He said: “I’m very excited about the trip. It will be great to be able to give something to the kids out there.

“When I’m not coaching the children, I will get the opportunity to explore the Sri Lankan culture, which I’m really looking forward to.”

While the placement gives Brown the opportunity to get away for the summer, he also feels that it will help his studies.

He said: “The work that I will be doing in Sri Lanka links in very closely with the sort of thing we learn about on the degree course.”

Although football is popular in Sri Lanka, the most-played sport is cricket.

As a keen cricketer, who plays for the university side and his local team in Penistone, Brown hopes to be able to use his skills to coach cricket as well.

He was awarded £1,000 towards the cost of the placement by the university’s scholarship panel and managed to save up the remaining £700 from working part-time.

Brown is collecting old sports equipment to take to Sri Lanka to give to the children so any donations of kit can be made through the university.

The University of Worcester’s scholarship panel has awarded £19,500 to 40 students this year, which is the second year of the scheme. In 2007/08 £12,000 was awarded to 17 students.