The award was won for the innovative ‘Triple Links scheme’ which we developed one step further on than a School Club Link.
The scheme involves Year 9 girls from Hastingsbury Upper School, as it has been recognised nationally that there are low activity rates amongst this age group and specifically with girls. We used the game of Futsal which is new small sided game that with differences in the ball and laws of the game lends itself perfectly to developing skills especially with those who may not have played football before. The coaching sessions take place down at local Charter Standard Community Club, Kempston Rovers on Tuesday afternoons as an Out of Hours School learning activity. This provides a great link from school and club, where the clubs facilities and staff become familiar to the girls and provide an excellent pathway into the girls and ladies team at AFC Kempston.
The link is a triple link because students from the local Bedford College Football Academy coach the Futsal session. This has engaged young coaches and aided their academy studies and further their coaching development.
Representatives from Hastingsbury School, AFC Kempston, Bedford College and Beds FA Development Team attended a presentation of their awards in London on Saturday 22nd September
To find out more about the game of Futsal please contact James Slack, Tel:01582 567719
To find out more about the Girls & Women’s Football please contact Charlene Ward, Tel: 01582 567718
Photographs:
Group (left to right ) – Russell Shrives ( AFC Kempston), Charlene Ward, Pete Henrickson (AFC Kempston), Sarah Fuller (Hastingsbury School), Barney Proud (School Sports Co-ordinator ), James Slack, Raj Mandal (Bedford College)
Barney Proud presented with Award by E.on representative