A bespoke college timetable is helping an aspiring professional footballer balance elite sport with her studies.

HSDC, which has a campus in Alton, is celebrating the success of A Level student Libby Hester, who combines her studies with playing for Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s under-19s.

Ms Hester, who studies A Level PE and a Level 3 certificate in criminology, is in her second season with Brighton, competing against top academies including Arsenal and Manchester United.

Her progress has been supported by a tailored timetable designed to fit around training sessions and midweek fixtures.

Ms Hester began playing football at six with Meon Milton, where she captained an all-boys team, before joining Southampton FC’s under-10s. She spent eight years there before moving to Brighton, where she plays as a striker and winger.

She said: “PE is incredibly useful as it links strongly with my dreams of becoming a professional footballer. It helps me understand how the body functions, giving me ways in which I can improve my performance and prevent injuries.”

The college allows Ms Hester to train on Tuesday and Friday afternoons and play matches on Wednesdays, while adapting her lessons so she continues to progress without repeating content.

She said: “I travel a lot, sometimes getting home late from matches far away, but my teachers understand that I need more time for work and are extremely helpful and flexible with deadlines.”

Jack Donnelly, player education lead at Brighton, said: “Libby has developed significantly as a dual-career athlete during her time at Brighton.

“She has had to balance the demands of pursuing a career as a professional footballer alongside completing her A Level studies.”

Since joining Brighton, Ms Hester has scored against Manchester City and recorded two goals and two assists in a match against Charlton Athletic. She now aims to progress into first-team professional football.