Gateshead College is inviting school leavers and adult learners to take part in free “Say Hello” sports taster sessions at the Academy for Sport in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, in February 2026. Registration for the sessions was open via the college events pages as of 30 January 2026.
The tasters are scheduled across the February half-term week (23–27 February 2026) and cover specific sports including basketball, netball, rugby and football. The college’s events listing also shows multiple Women’s Football taster dates in February (16 February, 23 February and 24 February 2026), with netball on 24 February and basketball on 26 February.
Participants will be able to use the Academy for Sport’s facilities — including an 83m indoor athletics track, sports-science facilities and 3G pitches — and the sessions are designed to give prospective students a sense of daily life in the Sports Academies, where they can train while studying for their qualifications.
The college runs its Sport Academies in partnership with professional clubs, including Gateshead FC and the Newcastle Eagles. The “Say Hello” tasters are used as high-engagement recruitment and Talent Identification opportunities (informal trials) that help coaches assess players for elite and development squads; they do not guarantee selection. Places are limited and participants must pre-book via the college’s events page on its website.
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