Football News . . . from PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR WELSH COMMUNITY FOOTBALL AWARDS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MCDONALD’S

 

Search begins for West Wales community football heroes

The Welsh Football Trust and its official Community Partner, McDonald’s, today launch the seventh annual Welsh Community Football Awards which aim to recognise and reward clubs, coaches, players and volunteers who dedicate their time to grassroots football in communities across Wales.  Nominations are now open and the Welsh Football Trust and McDonald’s are encouraging people across West Wales to nominate their unsung football heroes today. The West Wales FA is calling on people from across the region for nominations for the nine award categories so that they can be recognised for their achievements.

The award categories include:

WFT Coach of the Year – sponsored by McDonald’s

WFT Club of the Year – sponsored by McDonald’s

WFT Volunteer of the Year – sponsored by McDonald’s

WFT School of the Year

WFT Girl player of the Year

WFT Boy player of the Year

WFT Disability Girl of the Year

WFT Disability Boy of the Year

WFT Lifetime Achievement

To find out more about the awards and nominate an individual or club from your community, log on to www.welshfootballtrust.org.uk/awards or speak to Jamie Clewer on 07792 641674.

To launch the awards, Ian Rush, McDonald’s Director of Welsh football and ambassador of the WFT Awards went back to his own grassroots in Flint to remember his early years.  During his trip he visited the street where he grew up and kicked his first ball, the club where he received professional coaching and played his first competitive match and the school he attended before being scouted by Chester FC over 40 years ago.  To see his journey and to get his views on grassroots football in Wales log on to www.welshfootballtrust.org.uk/awards.  

Nominations close on 18th April when the regional winners will be selected by individual regional judging panels and invited to attend the national awards ceremony which will take place at Cardiff Castle on 23rd June.  At the ceremony the nine national award winners will be announced.

Jamie Clewer, the FAW’s Regional Development manager for the West Wales FA comments: “We’ve all experienced grassroots football in our time, and for many of us, those early memories will stay with us for a lifetime – from our first coach to our first goal.  At the time, not many of us will have appreciated the hard-work that went into keeping the local club ticking over, the time spent training coaches, clearing pitches and arranging matches – not to mention creating players who would enjoy the game, score goals and train to improve. 

“The WFT awards give us the chance to celebrate all aspects of the grassroots game – from the clubs and the players, to the coaches and volunteers.  It’s easy to nominate – the hard part is deciding who to put forward, but I’d urge everyone in West Wales to go online and nominate someone and give them the recognition that they deserve.”