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ICEF’s Education Manager, Adam Amellal, takes us behind the scenes of academic preparation at ICEF.

Although football is the priority for all, we place a strong emphasis on academic performance as well, and strive to create the ideal balance between football training and competition, academics, and boarding life through complete immersion in a professional environment, the key to success on and off the field.
ICEF International Center of European Football - Boarding soccer academy in Europe

Meet Adam Amellal

Education Manager at ICEF

Adam has various years of experience in the field of education, which has given him the opportunity to work in different types of schools, including international campuses, public and private colleges, as well as high schools. He has also always been involved in football, with a background as a player, including competing at the university level at the Vichy National Institute. Adam has a degree in Human and Social Sciences, and has also obtained a specialized Master’s Degree.

Today, I am honored to be a part of the ICEF project and I take pride in my duty to ensure our student-athletes succeed academically!

Academic Options at ICEF

At ICEF our student-athletes come from diverse academic backgrounds and are at different stages in their journeys. We want to make sure that each student-athlete, no matter their end goal, age, primary language or grade level, can get the optimal academic preparation to fit their individual needs.


ICEF benefits from strong partnerships with several educational institutions, to offer student-athletes a wide range of academic options from Middle and High School to Undergraduate and Graduate degrees. A large array of degree programs are available to student-athletes, to best fit the needs of each unique profile.

ICEF offers education programs in English through partnerships with prestigious institutions, like Webster University Geneva as well as Geneva Business School for Undergraduate and Graduate programs. French speakers in Middle and High School can also choose to enroll in a French program to pursue their academic preparation.

These wide range of options enable ICEF to support each student-athlete, meeting individual and specific needs, no matter where they come from or what stage they are in.

ICEF International Center of European Football - Boarding soccer academy in Europe
ICEF International Center of European Football - Boarding soccer academy in Europe

Flexible Schedules

All of ICEF’s academic partners understand the rigor of ICEF’s Pro Residency Academy, and they work together with ICEF’s Education Team to provide flexible schedules in order to enable student-athletes to combine their academic preparation and football training and competition programs.

With our partners, we agree on flexible schedules in order to enable student-athletes to combine their academic preparation and football training.

In-person Academic Support and Progress Monitoring

ICEF student-athletes benefit from easy access to in-person and online tutoring options provided at ICEF.

 “My role is to coordinate the success of our student-athletes in their academic programs.”

Academic performance is closely monitored by both Adam Amellal, Education Manager, and Leandro Cruz, Academic Performance Supervisor, who work closely with ICEF’s educational partners (American High School, Cambridge International Education Program, Webster University Geneva, and Geneva Business School) to ensure student’s progress is on track.
In the same way, ICEF’s Education team communicates closely with Julien Bernard, Head Coach, and his Technical Team, in order to properly adapt each student-athlete’s schedule on a need basis, to meet all needs on and off the field.

I am surrounded only by great professionals, all focused on the success of our student-athletes.

ICEF International Center of European Football - Boarding soccer academy in Europe

A Holistic Approach to Education

Above all else, in order to succeed in life, the fundamental principle conveyed at ICEF is excellence. We prepare student-athletes all around, be it on the field or in life. It is our duty to instill these values on our players: behavior, education, life as a group, attitude, and mindset are inseparable elements of what a football player should be. Furthermore, a football player who is able to think and be strategic is always one step ahead on the pitch. We are based on this working methodology to make our young players succeed.

Humanities Teacher (History, Geography, American Government)

Claire Watts

Claire holds degrees in Archaeology, French, and Biological Anthropology from the University of Oregon, along with a linguistics minor and an SLAAT certification. She has been teaching in international schools and privately in France for the last decade.

Since September 2021, she has served as Head of the Humanities Department at PSG Academy Pro.

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ESL Teacher

Simone Thompson

Simone is a native English speaker from Australia, residing in France since 2023. With over 10 years of experience in education, she has a diverse teaching background, working in schools, zoos, community outreach programs, and private tutoring.

At PSG Academy Pro, she utilizes her broad skill set to support students through tutoring and English lessons, helping them succeed in their core subjects.

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French Teacher

Héloïse Evans

Heloise is a native French speaker, who studied French language and literature at University in France before moving to the UK.  While living in the UK, Heloise pursued a teaching qualification at Brighton University and went on to teach languages in a variety of schools in the south of England.  Heloise has 15 years of experience teaching students from a young age through to the end of high school as well as taking on pastoral roles.

Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Junior Science Teacher

Emma Newman

Emma is a British teacher with 20 years of teaching experience across all phases of education. Her background includes 10 years teaching high school and junior school in London, where she held Pastoral and Departmental Leadership roles. She then spent 9 years at a London university, training graduate and postgraduate students to become teachers themselves.

Emma relocated to France in 2021 and joined the PSG Academy Pro teaching team in 2023.

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Math, Physics & Chemistry Teacher

Hans Kolster

Hans Kolster, from the Netherlands, has had a long and distinguished career in teaching. His passion for education started during his student years when he tutored mathematics, leading to a lifelong commitment to helping young people achieve their goals.

He served as Head of the Dutch School in Cobham, England, an institution created for Dutch expatriates in London. Later, he became Head of Mathematics at the British School Muscat in Oman, a prestigious British international school with over 50 nationalities.

Since September 2022, Hans has been supporting student-athletes at PSG Academy Pro in mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

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English Teacher

Barbara Hill

Barbara is a native British English speaker with 20 years of international teaching experience. After earning her Bachelor of Education from Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, in 2005, she taught in the United Kingdom, Australia, and now France. She has worked in diverse school environments, including public, private, and international schools, as well as both single-sex and co-educational institutions.

Academic Director / Spanish Teacher

Leandro Cruz

Leandro, a native of Brazil, had a professional career as a football player before transitioning into education. With 15 years of experience in the French school system, he has dedicated his career to guiding student-athletes toward both academic and athletic excellence.

Beyond the classroom, he plays a crucial role in securing college placements for high school graduates, ensuring they successfully transition to higher education while balancing their sports commitments.

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