page revision date: 30th July 2008
Football-mad Angharad loves to play
Angharad Jenkins has taken part in the traditional girls’ sports at Ysgol y Preseli but this talented 14 year old also loves taking part in football and after playing regularly with boys’ teams at Clarbeston Road AFC now plays for the Pembrokeshire Panthers team which has flown the county’s flag all over the country and abroad.
Angharad plays at full back now after some time as central defender and readily admits that she really enjoys her current position in a side which has swept all before them.
The Panthers first caught the eye when they won the well-known Ian Rush Tournament at Aberystwyth, winning all six matches in style which earned them qualification for an even bigger event in Belgium, called the Cercle Melle, where they became the first British team ever to win it as they where they took on, and beat, some very good sides from several countries before they overcame DVC Zuid-West Vlaanderen by 3-0 to scoop the silverware.
Firm friendsAngharad joined close friends Ffion Ashman, Ellie Robinson, twins Marie and Caryl Griffiths, Hayley and Hannah Lewis, Angharad James and Molly Doran in playing really well as a team and enjoying each other’s company.
She also went with Molly for Welsh trials at Pontardawe and Cardiff, and was delighted that her friend was chosen to play for Wales and although naturally disappointed at first was pleased that she managed to make it as reserve since she has another season yet in the particular age group. She will certainly be giving it an extra shot in the new campaign!
Top match
Ask Angharad about her favourite match so far and the Belgium final would obviously feature but on consideration would choose the West Wales Cup Final against Llandore as her first choice. The match was played in Llandore and although the homesters had a big crowd there were even more supporters who travelled from Pembrokeshire to cheer them on as they trailed by an early goal but then had two great strikes by Angharad James to see them through to yet another piece of silverware.
It is very much a family club because all the parents show an interest and Angharad’s family are no exception. Her father, Dai Jenkins, is well known as a local footballer and cricketer, mum Susan is an avid fan and sister Bethan (aged 10) is the Panthers’ mascot. Not only that, but granddad Selwyn Jenkins is one of the best-known football administrators in Pembrokeshire so it is easy to see how Angharad got involved in the game in the first place!
Clarbie start
She started out with the Clarbie Road boys’ team at under 10 level after her cousin Adam Edwards had asked her to go there with him after kicking the ball around in the back garden. She was soon in the team and was playing at county level for the Pembrokeshire Boys’ under 13 side against Aberystwyth, Swansea and Cardigan, until it was no longer allowed for girls to be involved in the same squad as the fellers.
It was at this time that Dai started up a girls’ team in Clarbeston Road and they won the local league, which took place on Sundays in Pembroke – and then it was on to the Panthers and continued success at a much higher level.
Angharad has shown her sporting versatility since she also plays cricket in Crymych, starting out with the boys’ team but playing for the newly-formed ladies squad this season and taking a few wickets as a right arm bowler and scoring her share of runs as a right-hand batsman.
Sporting all-rounder
She also plays hockey at Ysgol y Preseli and for the Haverfordwest Ladies under 15 team, achieving representative honours over the last two seasons and selected again for the forthcoming campaign after recent trials. She turns out as goal minder for school in netball and has played tag rugby in Cardiff where the Preseli School won the competition.
But it is football that occupies a great deal of her sporting time and she can’t wait for the new season with Pembrokeshire Panthers and talk to her for just a short while to see how much she loves being involved. She is a very modest and likable young lady and there is no doubt that Angharad Jenkins is a great ambassador for the game in Pembrokeshire, both on and off the pitch!
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