AGM REPORT-UNDER 10s SQUAD-8th July 2010

Following the formation of an initial Under 9s squad in May 2009, it is extremely pleasing to report that what eventually turned out to be an Under 10s squad has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months.

This group of players originally came together from attending the Under 9 football taster sessions carried out by Diana Golding, with assistance from Chantelle O’Hara and Deborah Alty. All the girls who attended these weekly soccer schools had been steadily working through a medal recognition system to reflect their own development in the sport and a number had already reached the prestigious ‘Gold’ standard and taken away medals and certificates to reflect these important milestones.

The decision was then taken to put together a formal football squad from the older girls attending these sessions, whilst still always looking for opportunities for the players to mix where possible in friendly matches and other club activities.

Responsibility for this new squad was taken over by one of the player’s parents, Graeme Taggart.

Graeme had some relevant qualifications from his involvement with the football clubs used by his two sons and subsequently completed his FA Level 1 Coaching training in August 2009. He also undertook further FA coaching covering specific ‘age-related’ training activities during the season.

Graeme is assisted by his wife Eilish as First-Aider (FA qualification held) and a close friend, Mark Edwards, as Assistant Coach / additional First-Aider (FA qualification held for First Aid). All have FA CRB clearance in place.

In August 2009, the squad was entered into the Bolton and Bury District Football League (Girls’ section) as an Under 9s team for the 2009-10 season. Unfortunately, this league could not eventually proceed due to lack of available girls’ teams at this age group. After a quick rethink, a decision was taken to join the North Valley League (based in Burnley), which did offer girls’ football, but the lowest age group available was at Under 10s.

It was going to be a big challenge, but to get a chance at full competitive football, an entry was made into this league on the basis it would be a ‘learning experience’ for all concerned and a good platform for further development.

And so it turned out to be! It was not a massive league in terms of team numbers, and our girls were competing against older girls with more general football experience, but for the most part, we were not overawed and all our girls showed much grit and determination in all the games played.

We had some success in our matches and some good close games-but did struggle at times where sheer physical presence of older opposing girls and overall experience was brought to bear.

Whilst we ultimately finished in the bottom half of the league table, this was a creditable outcome for our first season together and we were extremely pleased to reach the main League Cup Final, where we played the runaway league leaders, Mill Hill Girls FC. Whilst we had lost fairly heavily to them in the two league matches played, we went to the final in good spirits and with the strongest team we could muster.

We did ultimately lose the match 2-0, but this was a close contest, a point acknowledged by all concerned and remarked upon by the league officials overseeing the game. All our girls “played their heart out” and thoroughly deserved the plaudits and medals they received.

We were also extremely pleased to receive the overall “Fair Play” trophy for our league, given this was an award based upon scores given by our competitors after each game. In essence, it constituted a true acknowledgement from all those other clubs involved that we played the game “in the right way”, fairly and in great sporting fashion.

Once again, the girls picked up individual awards to acknowledge this fantastic achievement.

Whilst a small number of girls have moved on from the squad to pursue different activities or to go into their correct age group, it is pleasing to note that the “core” of the squad has remained intact.

We are now building for the new season, to play in a more local league all being well and staying at Under 10s level. It is pleasing to note that we have a few new players in our midst, keen to slot into the existing structure. Their enthusiasm and ambition will provide us with further strength in depth in the months ahead.

Such new players are indeed very welcome and along with our new U9s and U11s squads, we will continue to foster links with other clubs and leagues as we have done at various times over the last 12 months.

As a manager, I would like to record my sincere thanks to my assistant Mark Edwards for his excellent support during the last 12 months and to my wife Eilish for all her work as our First-Aider and her general welfare support for the girls throughout the season.

Thanks also to my own children for using their own football experience to support training drills and warm-up sessions before matches.

And of course to all the parents for supporting their daughters throughout our adventures in the last season!

Thanks also to all club officials for their support and encouragement in this crucial period for our developing section.

FINAL THANKS MUST GO TO ALL THE GIRLS IN THE SQUAD FOR THEIR HARD WORK, ENTHUSIASM, TEAMWORK AND SUPPORT FOR THE CLUB AS A WHOLE.

Without that dedication, we would not have a team to manage.

Good luck to all for a successful and rewarding season in 2010-11!!

Graeme Taggart

Manager / Coach, Bury Girls & Ladies FC-Under 10s Squad

8^th July 2010

NEWSLETTER-19th April 2009

PROPOSALS FOR ONGOING ACTIVITIES

Given the popularity of the Under 8s training sessions and tournaments, it has been decided to split the existing group into 2 age bands to ensure that all the girls benefit from the coaching given and that the number of girls participating is more manageable for the coach(es) involved.

As a result of the above decision, the club will now have a new section at Under 9s level, in addition to the current level covering Under 8s and below age groups.

All girls who are currently in Year 3 at school will now move over to the Under 9s squad and will be coached by Sophie’s Dad, Graeme Taggart, with effect from the end of this month.

Chantelle O’Hara will continue her excellent work and look after all of the remaining girls, who are in school years 1 and 2.

New girls in either age category will of course be most welcome and will join the training sessions on an ongoing basis.

All our present squad members should be encouraged to mention the existence of the club (and the fact that it caters solely for girls and ladies wanting to play football) to their female school and home friends. Please try and get as many of those friends as possible to come along and join in.

This will not only help those friends to learn how to play football and enable them to make new friends, but also give them improved fitness and wellbeing.

For the club, more girls getting involved will mean additional income, which in turn will further improve available facilities and equipment and hopefully generate even more success for all of our club teams.

UNDER 8s SQUAD

Chantelle will therefore coach girls in this squad on a weekly basis, with training to be outdoors during the Spring and Summer months at the sports field behind Philips High School, Whitefield-Wednesday nights between 6pm and 7pm. Chantelle already holds a Level 1 Coaching badge from the FA.

Winter training will most likely be on the same night and at the same time, but location will be advised in due course. This will still be at a local venue, but we will be unable to finalise this until late Summer.

All girls should attend training in suitable clothing—they will need to wear shin pads and football boots to give them as much protection and grip as possible during training.

The present ‘medal’ system available to the girls will be maintained.

Whilst the Under 8s squad will not be formed into an actual ‘league’ team, all opportunities will be taken to enter ‘fair play fun’ tournaments and to organise some local friendlies to give the girls a taste of ‘semi-competitive’ football.

Parents of all girls involved in the Under 8s squad will need to commit to an initial annual registration fee with the club for their daughter amounting to £10.00—this will be payable during the month of May 2009.

Parents will also need to commit to a bank standing order payment of £10.00 per month to the club, starting in June 2009 and payable monthly.

All of these registration fees and subscription monies are reinvested in club activities and facilities for the benefit of all girls registered with the club.

Chantelle will appreciate any help she can get from parents of the Under 8s squad members to assist with training, administration and tournament participation during the coming 12 months.

If any parent is particularly interested in assisting in any way, please let Chantelle know—she will welcome your help!

UNDER 9s SQUAD

Graeme will coach the girls in this squad on a weekly basis, with training to be outdoors during the Spring and Summer months at the sports field behind Philips High School, Whitefield-Wednesday nights between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. Please note the change of time-this is needed as Graeme works on the other side of Manchester and traffic around the M60 can be very unpredictable.

Winter training will most likely be on the same night and at the same time, but location will be advised in due course. This will still be at a local venue, but we will be unable to finalise this until late Summer.

Occasionally, the opportunity to run extra training sessions will be taken, but all girls and their parents will be given plenty of notice re any additional sessions planned.

All girls should attend training in suitable clothing—they will need to wear shin pads and football boots to give them as much protection and grip as possible during training.

Graeme will be assisted in the training sessions by his wife Eilish and his friend Mark Edwards, who is also assistant coach for a local boys’ football team. Both Graeme and Mark have enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance obtained through the Football Association. Eilish has similar clearance through her work with a local Scouting association, but the club will ensure specific clearance is also obtained through the FA. Graeme is in the process of working towards obtaining his Level 1 Coaching badge with the FA, having completed a number of related courses over the last 2 years.

The Under 9s squad will be formed into an actual ‘league’ team, with a view to entering a girls’ league for the 2009-2010 football season. We are currently researching the most appropriate league for the girls to enter-fuller details will be provided in due course.

Opportunities will also be taken to enter appropriate age-related tournaments and to organise some local friendlies to give the girls a further taste of ‘competitive’ football across the coming months and next season.

As you may know, the club already has successful teams at Under 10, 11, 12, 13 and ‘Open Age’, but an Under 9s team is a new venture for us and we are all excited by the prospect. Girls’ football is growing in popularity across the UK, but is not yet able to command the financial support and sponsorship that is available to traditional boys’ football.

The main Football Association and local County FA organisations are very keen to support this development of female football at ‘grass roots’ level. We are doing much work ourselves to prepare a case to be considered for registration as a ‘FA Charter Club’, which will bring a number of benefits to the club as a whole, which in turn will benefit all girls and ladies involved.

Parents of all girls involved in the Under 9s squad will need to commit to an initial annual registration fee with the club for their daughter amounting to £30.00—this will be payable during the month of May 2009.

Parents will also need to commit to a bank standing order payment of £14.00 per month to the club, starting in June 2009 and payable monthly.

All of these registration fees and subscription monies are reinvested in club activities and facilities for the benefit of all girls registered with the club. This subscription is in line with all other youth teams at the club and is needed from the Under 9s girls, given there will be additional league fees, insurance, kits, match balls, referee costs, pitch hire and tournament entries to fund for this age group.

Three more dates for your diaries are 1) Club Presentation Night-26th June 2009 (Bury FC Social Club, 2) 6^th June 2009-Outdoor U9s tournament at Wigan and 3) 28^th June 2009-Outdoor U9s tournament at Euxton, near Chorley.

If any parent is able to find a potential sponsor or sponsors for the Under 9s squad, please let Graeme know—any help will be very welcome indeed.

We will be compiling a contact list for all girls involved at Under 9 to capture details such as parents’ mobile numbers and E-mail address (if held) to ease ongoing administration for the squad.

Graeme’s contact numbers are mobile 07906-427577 or 0798-9146482 (Eilish)-please get in touch (evenings are best) if you have any queries.

THANKS TO ALL THE GIRLS AND THEIR PARENTS FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CLUB-LET’S ENJOY FOOTBALL TOGETHER!!