West Ham Ladies’ Amy Cooley has been offered an academic sports scholarship at Tennessee Wesleyan College.

Cooley, who lives in East Ham, will now take her talents to America, which is regarded as the highest level for female soccer.

The West Ham Ladies reserves player has been with the club for seven years and has worked her way up through the junior section to the point where she is now a regular member of the reserve squad.

In 2009, she joined the prestigious Barking Abbey School Sixth Form Women’s Soccer Academy, where she plays weekly for the Academy and continues to study for her BTEC National Diploma.

Cooley, who has also represented both Newham Borough and the Essex Women’s FA previously, said: “I had heard that there were excellent opportunities to be had in the US College system, and I thought rather than go to an English university, I would give the US a try.

“The great thing about playing in America is that you get to train six days a week on some of the best facilities in the world and, at the end of it, you come out with a full degree which will help me with my future career.

“Sporting Chance USA told me that I would have a great chance of landing a top scholarship award as I had good academic grades and fortunately that has been the case.”

Going to play and study in America will be cheaper for Cooley than going to a UK University, as her scholarship includes all tuition fees, accommodation, food and insurance.

Cooley is due to fly out to the USA in early August to join her new team-mates for what promises to be a tough pre-season programme, made possible by Sporting Chance USA.