Mapping out a strong future

Gaining a different perspective

In May 2023, Performance Analysis and Coaching Science student Mason Boyle signed up to ProChance Football Club's six-week summer camp as a performance analyst, where his success and growth resulted in a longer term role for the 23/24 season. Gaining valuable insight into how football clubs work while boosting his skills.

Working with a team of strength and conditioning coaches, physio’s and psychologists, Mason developed an understanding of the specific support players need to perform at their best – a crucial aspect of the ProChance programme: “Working alongside another performance analyst enabled us to question each other and think about situations differently. Although we both had the same goal, our opinions and ideas would differ. This was so important to my development as an analyst as it gave me different viewpoints and made me learn so much.”

The programme gives players a full-time football schedule, giving them a good balance between their education and football without either being sacrificed. Mason’s role as a performance analyst consisted of filming training sessions and matches, which helped him to build a report with the players and understand how to get the best out of them. He would also code games, create presentations and feedback to the team to help them improve.

Experience with FIFA

While supporting players to reach their potential, Mason also noticed a development in his own skills: “I have become more confident and felt as though ProChance was like a family. From this I have been given other roles within ProChance. For example, in February 2025 I was trusted to go to three different U16 EFL trial days to scout. This was something that I hadn’t done before, but thanks to the backing and relationship I have with the coach, I was confident in myself to succeed.”

Mason was fortunate enough to then be employed by FIFA as a tournament football analyst, an opportunity he credits to his experience at ProChance. “At FIFA, one of the most important things is to be working as a team and communicating effectively. At the start of my journey with ProChance, I would never have thought that I would be where I am, but I have developed so much as a person and as an analyst. I am employed as Head of Player Recruitment with ProChance as a paid employee which works amazingly well alongside my analysis work with FIFA.”

Mason’s journey is a great example of how our courses here at Derby prepare students for an exciting and successful future.