THOUSANDS of students across York, North and East Yorkshire find out their A-Level results tomorrow.

Amongst their number are two successful footballers and York College students, Louise Welch and Joe Dunnett.

Louise gets her results on the other side of the pond, having secured a scholarship to study a biology degree at Fairmount State University, West Virginia, playing in their football league. Joe has his fingers crossed for good results in his government and politics, business and geography A-Levels, hoping to progress to Northumbria University to study business and politics.

Over the last two years Louise has played for the York College Women’s Football Development Centre alongside studying A-Levels in biology, chemistry and maths, whilst playing also for the Durham Wildcats in their Superleague Development Squad in her spare time. It was the college who put her in touch with a Leeds recruiting agency who sent video footage of her footballing talents to the U.S. universities, in the hope of securing a scholarship.

Former Tadcaster Grammar School pupil, Louise, 18, said: “I think my parents put a football in my pram when I was a baby as I have grown up playing the sport. I decided early on, aged 10, that I wanted to play football in the USA as I was aware of the fantastic training opportunities there. At York College football has fitted easily around my A-Level studies and with the Football Development Centre I made a good circle of friends too. I would say that football helped me to power through my academic studies. After my degree I would like to work with animals, keeping football as a hobby.”

It has been a wonderful year for the York College Football Development Centre, with the men’s Under 18’s team reaching two national finals and being crowned the national ECFA Champions, thanks to A-Level student Joe who is from Pickering, scoring the winning penalty.

Joe, who went to Lady Lumley’s, said: “This year has been brilliant. Whilst studying for my A-Levels I was supported by York College to pursue my dream of becoming a professional footballer. At the start of the academic year I was encouraged by the College to train with Doncaster Rovers FC three days a week, fitting training around my A-Levels. Then, off the back of the College’s ECFA cup win (played at Wallsall FC), I was asked to trial at Walsall FC this summer, and possibly sign a professional deal. I’m also hoping to play for Tadcaster Albion’s First team this year in the The Evo-Stik League Northern Premier - First Division. I feel I have so many options for the future.”

Gaz Lee, York College's sports development centre coordinator, said: “We have a mix of A-Level and vocational students playing in the development centre and it is wonderful to see them progressing to higher education and onto exciting careers inside and outside the sport.”

YOU will be able to follow our live coverage online tomorrow as youngsters around the country receive their A-Level results.

We will be publishing local schools’ results stories as we get them and also uploading pictures and local reaction.

Visit thepress.co.uk/news as results emerge and stay tuned throughout the day. You can also tweet your thoughts and individual results by using the hashtag #yorkalevels

Meanwhile there will be a 12-page supplement in The Press on Friday packed with results from the secondary schools and colleges across our circulation area alongside stories and pictures from the day.