QPR footballer Dominic Ball graduates from the Open University

QPR midfielder Dominic Ball, who lives in Abbots Langley, joined the Open University after completing a football apprenticeship, and he has since gone on to secure a BA honours degree.

The 25-year-old, who began his football youth career with Watford, says he saw the degree as an opportunity to prepare for life after he retires.

Ball said: "Mum and dad trained as teachers, so I was always pushed in school. Even when football opportunities came, I was always pushed academically because the average length of a footballer’s career is seven years.

"I’ve been lucky enough to be in it for seven years now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play until I’m 35, but most players have to work so I always thought I need to plan for my future."

Dominic Ball in action against Watford at Loftus Road in November. Credit: PA

After completing a BTEC in sport, Ball's older brother, whose degree was partly funded by the Professional Footballers Association, encouraged him to undertake a degree with the university.

He said: "My brother had actually started his degree with the university a couple of years before me. He said that the course was easy to understand and worked well around football.

"We travel a lot, sometimes twice a week for away games, but even in a hotel room you can do your work. I like the fact that I had the flexibility to get on and do my work on flights or at different clubs but keep up with my workload."

At first, Ball says he found the course challenging but found his feet in his final year and really excelled.

He said: "Initially, I didn’t engage with my tutors or get involved in the student community, so I struggled for the first half of a six-year course. In one assignment I received 14 out 100 which made me think, I need to understand where I’m going wrong.

"I started to engage with my tutors and other students, it made the experience more enjoyable. In my last year, I finally understood how to structure my essays and assignments – the penny dropped. I was averaging 70 per cent in my results."

Dominic has graduated from the Open University. Credit: Studio 86 Photography

The footballer was unable to graduate in the traditional manner due to coronavirus regulations, but he did hold a small celebration at home with his family.

Now with a degree under his belt, Ball has hopes for the future and plans to go into business after football.

He said: "Football is my passion – I still have dreams of playing in the Premiership. But with my degree, I hope that in time I can set up a business, maybe something to do with football, so that I have a career long after my days on the pitch."