Grassroots Magazine Aug 24

AUGUST 2024 ISSUE 22

This Months Content Chelmsford Sunday League

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Kick it Out

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Springfield FC

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DT38

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Kit Aid

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Adult Leagues

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Youth Leagues

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We were lucky enough to be in attendance at ‘The First Call Community Stadium’ & we must say what a nice welcoming Club it is with great facilities. We look forward to paying many visits this Season, Good luck to everyone involved within the Club.

Match Fit

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Essex FA

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We have also agreed to Sponsor Chelmsford City women’s player Kaci Crook. Last season we followed the progress of the team as they became Champions of the ECWFL Premier Division, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to continue our support.

Football Fitness

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Heybridge Swifts

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Final Whistle

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Team Message Grassroots Magazine is pleased to announce that we will be bringing you extensive coverage from Heybridge Swift for the coming season.

Heybridge Swifts, who will be playing in the Isthmian North league this Season have already kicked ko their season winning in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary round beating Wormley Rovers 2-1.

Please remember all advertising for Clubs is free of charge so if you are looking for players, have a tournament coming up please contact us grassrootsmag@btinternet.com Good Luck for the Season

The Grassroots Team

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Sponsored by : grassrootsmagazine

The Chelmsford Sunday League are delighted to welcome Grassroots Magazine as title sponsors of the league for the forthcoming season, beginning what we hope will be a long and fruitful partnership.

Having begun as a 13-team competition in January 1962, the league has enjoyed huge success over the year and provided countless hours of football and enjoyment for so many people thanks to no end of players of all abilities and a dedicated core of volunteer officers who administer the league’s affairs.

A new look competition this year with departures during and at the end of last season reducing the number of teams and the league has dropped from 5 to 4 divisions, but this does contain some exciting looking newcomers alongside plenty of old favourites.

The league season commences on Sunday 1st September with plenty to play for. Each team has a league campaign plus two cups to compete in, plus County Cups should they so desire and in which our teams have been successful in the past.

Atletico Maldon will begin the season as favourites to retain their Premier division crown as a trio of trophies last season would indicate and Josh Perry’s men will be feared once more. Competition will be strong as Woodham Radars will be expected to strengthen under manager Paul Bowers and Priory Sports as always will be tough competitors. Eagle and Hind have plenty of ability and no reason to fear anyone after their fine season in division 1. Newcomers Billersports will hope to have an impact, whilst both FFB and Beret have the talent and attitude to make an impression on the established names.

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Chelmsford Sunday League

Division 1 looks likely to be competitive with Danbury Athletic optimistic and it will be interesting to see how Broomfield CSL and Burnham Ramblers fare after jumping 2 divisions. Woodham Radars Reserves have a talented squad and will hope for good fortune. Priory Sports Reserves left the competition at the close of last season and their presence will much missed.

Hatfield Peverel will likely start as one of the favourites in Division 2 with an amalgam of their 2 sides from last year; plus, Draco looking to follow up on a cup winning first season in the league. New boys Brooklands are likely to be competitive as will Ravens Legends and The Rodings who finished strongly in last season’s division 4. I would also expect Writtle to be there or thereabouts in the final shake up.

New teams may be the ones to watch in Division 3, Maldon & Tiptree Athletic likely to go well and Burnham Ramblers Reserves working off their successful first team. Maldon Social will be hoping for a better season and to get some much-needed confidence and points on the board; whilst Woodham Radars Development can be expected to continue their progress of last year.

I look forward to my predictions coming back to bite as usual and the league wishes all teams and match officials well for the new campaign and would encourage everyone associated with the league and local football in general to check out our new sponsors https://grassrootsmagazine.co.uk/ Teams that have interesting stories to tell or photos to share, please do get in touch with the Grassroots team, they would love to hear from you - grassrootsmag@btinternet,com or via Tony Foster, the CSL Press Officer.

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Kick It Out received 1,332 reports in the 2023/24 season, the highest number ever received by the anti-discrimination and inclusion charity in a single season.

The new figures released today, incorporating reports from across the professional game, grassroots, and social media, represent a 32% rise from the previous year and are over double the 610 received in the 2021/22 season.

Encouragingly, for the fifth season in a row, Kick It Out’s reports per incident rate has increased, suggesting fans are becoming less tolerant of discriminatory abuse.

The data shows a significant increase in reports of discrimination at grassroots level, up 25% from last season (242 to 303), and on social media, where reports have more than doubled (281 to 589). There has been a small drop in reports related to the pro game (484 to 440), down by 9%, although the number of incidents reported to Kick It Out has increased.

Racism remains the most reported form of discrimination, with the charity seeing an alarming 47% (496 to 731) rise in racist abuse across all levels of the game this season, whilefaith-based discriminatory reports were also up by 34%, driven by a sharp increase in antisemitism (63%) and Islamophobia (138%).

Kick It Out has also received more player-specific discriminatory reports in the professional game than ever before, with abuse targeting players soaring by 43% (277 to 395). Figures show that over half (55%) of the racist abuse targeting players is directed at players from an East Asian background, while sexist abuse towards female players, particularly online, is also on the rise.

Following on from a huge increase in the 2022/23 season, reports of sexism and misogyny continue to surge, up by a further 44% this year (80 to 115).

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For the second consecutive season, reports of homophobic mass chanting are down, from 43 in the 21/22 season to 17 this year. This follows a change in the law and updated FA guidance where certain chants have become a chargeable offence.

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A 22% increase (111 to 143) in reports of discrimination at youth level (U18s), including a seven-fold rise in abuse in U12s football (4 to 25).

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A worrying rise in abuse toward officials in grassroots football, with over twice as many reports of this nature in comparison to last season.

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Homophobic reports received from grassroots (down 24%) and professional game (down 9%) both fell. However, LGBTQ+ hate rose sharply online, with reports up from 43 to 65. Reports of transphobia online also climbed by 183%.

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A 35% rise in anti-disability insults and language.

The figures come in a season where Kick it Out has delivered a record 117 one-on-one restorative fan education sessions, with the charity also providing academy education to over 2000 players, coaches, and staff from across 42 different clubs.

Kick It Out launched a new partnership this season with the PGMOL to provide ED&I education through Kick It Out’s online education platform, The Academy, to match officials, while the charity has also employed coach educators to give grassroots coaches the skills to tackle unconscious bias.

The data suggests fans are willing to report discrimination to the organisation in record numbers but Kick It Out wants to ensure those reports continue to drive positive outcomes for victims.

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The data released today, also revealed:

That’s why the charity has launched a new video showing how reports in the professional game are dealt with and the importance of including as many details as possible when discrimination occurs.

Sanjay Bhandari, Kick It Out Chair, said: “These figures underline the seriousness of football’s discrimination problem, with reports to Kick It Out more than doubling over the past two seasons.

“It’s deeply concerning to see how steeply reports are rising. However, we believe this increase can also be attributed to fans becoming less tolerant of discrimination and greater awareness of reporting procedures.

“Encouragingly, we are seeing stronger punishments for racist abuse in recent years, including the toughest ever handed out to a football fan found guilty of racist abuse at a football match earlier this season.

“However, we now need to see better coordination from football authorities and stakeholders to ensure there are positive outcomes for victims of abuse across the game, particularly on social media where too much discriminatory abuse still goes unchallenged.”

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GIRLS PRESENTATION 23/24 SEASON

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Springfield U10 Reds A Season of Success and Treble Celebrations Springfield U10 Reds A team of thirteen talented young footballers, has seen significant development and success as they have progressed through various game formats like 5v5 and 7v7. This growth is a testament to the solid foundation provided by the 60 players at U10s and the 19 excellent coaches who have been instrumental in nurturing these young talents. Our ethos has always been to foster growth from within, setting a pathway through our six teams that allows players to move up when ready for new challenges.

From the early days at U7s, it was clear that the Reds needed new challenges.

This led to the decision to play a year up in the Brentwood Community Alliance (BCFA), which has been a positive experience but in recent times has begged the question: "How do they compare to their peers now?" This was tested this year as the Reds competed in several local tournaments.

Tournament Successes Springfield Tournament (June 1st, 2024) Reds hit their stride, maintaining a clean sheet and a 100%-win rate throughout the tournament. This victory marked their first team success in tournament football and their first piece of silverware.

Broomfield FC Tournament (June 9th, 2024)

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With restrictions on the squad sizes, it was decided to enter the Reds as two teams. With nearly half the players attending Perryfields Juniors and the other half attending Bishops Primary School, it made logical sense to keep teammates and school mates together. Both teams progressed through to the knockout phase and quarter finals, with the Perryfields half pushing on further and into the final. There was some heroic defending and an “all or nothing” attitude meant that they were able to clinch their second trophy in as many weeks. They had clearly developed a taste for success and silverware.

With space limited, the Reds found themselves in familiar territory, playing in the age group above (U11s). A shaky start with a draw and a loss, sparked them into life and they never looked back, progressing through to their third final and clinching the win with a wonder goal in the dying seconds of the match. The treble was complete!

Looking Ahead Next season marks their final year at 9v9 and their first year of competitive football. Competing in Division 1 of the U12 BCFA under the pseudonym of “Springfield U12 Gold”, (long story but as they play a year up, they must be affiliated as an U12 team now). The future is bright for these young athletes. Their skill, determination, and talent will undoubtedly lead them to great achievements in both sports and their personal lives.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the parents for their unwavering support and to the coaches—Neill, Brian, Steve, and Michael—for their dedication. Let us continue to make football fun and rewarding for these incredible young players.

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Chelmsford City Tournament (June 26th, 2024)

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WHO WE ARE

The DT38 Foundation has been set up in memory of Dylan James Tombides. Dylan was an Australian International and West Ham United professional football player who passed away aged 20 in April 2014 after a 3-year battle with testicular cancer. The West Ham Family thought so highly of Dylan that they retired his number 38 and made DT38 one of their principal charities.

The charity has been formed as a result of Dylan being misdiagnosed.

Our vision is to change the way testicular cancer is diagnosed by implementing best practice diagnostic guidelines for patients who present with testicular symptoms.

We also aim to arm future generations of young men with the necessary knowledge about testicular cancer that will enable them to be confident when taking health matters into their own hands.

Our mission is to raise awareness and change the stigma associated with men’s health issues with a focus on testicular cancer. We aim to do this through educational programs and opportunities for the youth of our community, to help shape a generation of children who are selfaware about their health and wellbeing.

OUR MAIN GOALS ARE TO ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

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Drive the SELF-AWARENESS campaign for the early detection of testicular cancer Focus on youth EDUCATION through various teaching programmes aligned to national curriculum Partnering with the COMMUNITY to promote the changes needed for increased male awareness and openness towards discussing their health matters Collaborating with GOVERNING BODIES to foster a best practice mentality for the early detection of testicular cancer

The charity is based in both the United Kingdom and Australia. The charity was launched on the 28th February 2015 in the United Kingdom when West Ham United came up against Crystal Palace at Upton Park. At the 38th minute mark the spectators from both sides stood and clapped as a mark of respect. The charity officially launched in Australia on September 1st 2015 when Premier Colin Barnett and the Tombides family unveiled a bronze statue of Dylan outside NIB Stadium- Perth’s home of football. Both events were extremely momentous occasions and highlight the high regard in which Dylan was held both as a footballer and a person.

The charity has come about as a direct response too Dylan’s personal story and the current status of testicular cancer awareness in society. Testicular cancer affects younger men aged 15- 49. It is the second most common cancer in young men in Australia. There was 732 cases diagnosed in Australia in 2011 and 25 deaths. The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has grown 50% in the past 30 years and the reason is unknown. The survival rate is 98%. There is currently no routine screening tests in place for testicular cancer. We at the DT38 Foundation believe that awareness is the key to addressing this illness. We know that our vision and mission clearly state the changes we plan to bring about in the future.

At the moment we have a small team of 4 directors and many volunteers in Perth, Western Australia. The foundation is growing at a rapid pace and so is the number of people becoming involved with DT38. We have found the need to have the Australian Company (DT38 Australia Pty Ltd) registered as a charity and the direction we are heading is very clear to us. We are now at the stage where we require funding to assist us in beginning various projects.

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OUR HISTORY

We at DT38 recognise the potential impact we can have on a large scale and are proud to be part of an organization like ours. We believe that we have the correct structures and procedures in place to assist us in developing our key milestones and we look forward to continuing to spread the DT38 message with the world.

To read about our latest developments head to our news page

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Grassroots caught up with Martin Brazier.

Martin told us all about his professional football career and how it all led to playing and coaching at grassroots level for Debden Sports.

EST. 1948

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Debden Sports

It all started for Martin at his Sunday team while he was at school, they were called “Racing Celtic” his Dad founded the team and was also manager so perhaps that’s where Martin get it from! Martin also represent Essex & England at schoolboys’ level. His professional career started at Birmingham City playing in the 1972 F.A youth cup against Aston Villa alongside Trevor Francis against the Villa brothers Alan & Brian Little. After leaving Birmingham he played a few matches for Millwall/Brentford.

Martin started coaching at Debden Sports from 1973/4, he found a love for coaching passing his UFEA B in coaching badge.

When his son was old enough Martin started a kid’s team and won the Essex FA Grassroots Coach of the year”. The Team won their 1st Trophy the Echo League under 11 Division Cup Final where Martin’s son Callum played in Goal.

In their last season as a youth team, they won the Echo League and Cup Double.

Once the youth football came to an end so did the football as the boys went off to university or to work, so Martin returned to playing for Debden Sports Vets to get his football fix.

Martins’ son Callum went to the USA Coaching Football for a few years, when he came back, he asked Martin to help him coach and together they stated an Adults Sunday football team. They joined the Essex Sunday Combination League with Callum as the manager and Martin as the coach, they won the treble in 18/19 season their biggest achievement so far. What was amazing is Martin had also won the treble when he was Player/Manager for Debden Sports in 1986, so Father and Son won the treble in different decades for the same club.

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Martin also won The Essex Sunday Combination Secretary of the year, Unfortunately the Essex Sunday Combination League folded, so they joined the Brentwood Sunday League at the start of last season 23/24, they had a up and down season settling into the new league and cups but did reach the semi-final of the Essex FA Junior Trophy where they got knocked out 5-3 by the eventual winners.

Martin then went on to tell us a bit more about the club itself Debden Sports Club, who are celebrating their 75th Anniversary this year.

Martin said “The club has been my life in football in fact I’m sure I’ve got green blood and not red!

We have a great set up which like all other grassroots football clubs are run by volunteers who give up their time and energy to make the club what it is today. Most of the players just turn up on a Sunday but don’t know what goes into running Debden Sports or what goes on behind-the-scenes.

Martin has been a committee member and a Vice President (one of 7 is a great honour) there is a lot of hard work before the boys turn up on a Sunday.

Martin also finds the time to be a co-presenter on The Grassroots Football show on East London Radio ever Thursday evening during the season covering all levels of grassroots football, Martin said “I really do enjoy the company of our co- presenters and all the guests that appear on the show” Martin told us age is just a number and went on to tell us he has signed on for Debden Sports as a player this season 24/25!, I was a sub for a few matches last season but didn’t get on.!

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Martin said “we really enjoyed entering a new Sunday league and we look forward to this season 24/25, the expectations this season is do better than last season and hopefully pick up a trophy, but the standard is very high, and it will be very competitive with every other team looking to do the same.

Like our previous league The Brentwood Sunday League have a great committee and are always available to help.”

Lastly, he would like to thank his sponsors once again Callum Martin Energy.

The grassroots team would like to Thank Martin and wish him, Debden Sports and his team every success in the upcoming season, also for all his commitment to grassroots football over the years without volunteers like Martin grassroots wouldn’t happen.

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The national charity KitAid takes your old unwanted kit & equipment and gives it a new home in parts of the world where the game is loved, but participation is held back lack of access to resources.

Getting Stuck in ... to Boxing Up Every few months KitAid volunteers come together with kit donations from across the country and get stuck into the big task of sorting and boxing up the kit donations for shipping out to our partner projects.

Projects working with some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in the world. Projects working in communities to improve health, increasing employability, education & skills, promoting inclusivity and working to keep young & older people safe. It is why we say of our work, "It's more than just a shirt" Last month (July) was a big month for KitAid Boxing Up. Huge numbers of kits had come into be sorted at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Fifteen KitAid volunteers sorted 6,055 individual items into 173 boxes and bags.

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Amongst the donations sorted were those from Essex, including Chelmsford City Women & Girls and Hutton Ladies & Girls.

One of the vans being packed for one of our partner projects:

Mo Farah Delivers Some of you will recall that Mo Farah joined Boxing Up earlier in the year.

Shown here with a Maldon & Tiptree Youth kit donation on the frontpage of the Magazine in February.

The Maldon & Tiptree Youth donation is just one part of the highly successful, 26 team tournament that Mo sponsored in July for young people in Hargeisa, Somaliland. 'Up the Jammers'.

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These kits, with many more were sent on their way, boxed or bagged up to projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Ukraine.

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Your unwanted Kit can live again too

A new home awaits your unwanted kit & equipment - don't dump it, neglect or forget it, for it can live again, like so many before it, spreading smiles for the love of the game amongst some of the poorest communities in the world. By the end of July, this year, the grand total of items donated since 1998, reached a staggering 1,082,000 and with your help we can make 1.1m by the end of the year.

How you can help If you can please look to: 1. donate unwanted kit & equipment – email KitAid at kitaidcharity@gmail.com or locally barrie.2014@yahoo.co.uk 2. consider advertising KitAid at your ground, in your programme or on social media 3. share skills (promotion, marketing or design), experience (accessing relevant grant aid) or provide access to resources (storage, transport or venues for sorting kit & equipment) Special Appeal - Kit Collectors & Storage Essex is so invested in spreading smiles for the love of the game, we urgently need more help here to collect and store kits locally before being transferred to Hatfield or Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire for boxing up.

You will join a great KitAid team. We are all volunteers and commit as much time as we feel able to, but know what we do matters ... "It's more than just a shirt ..."

If you want to know more about joining the team of volunteers, contact KitAid Founder Derrick Williams MBE at kitaidcharity@gmail.com

We would also like to Thank all the people that have donated to our just giving page, if you would like to donate to our just giving page please follow this link: KitAid - JustGiving

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CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR PAPERBACK COPY TODAY FOR JUST £9.99

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Fundraiser by David Neill : Help Dave Beat His Cancer (gofundme.com)

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grassroots magazine For all you Signage Solutions Football Kit Printing Workwear supplied and Printed Shop Signage Vehicle Signage Window Graphics Logo Design Tel: 07525786641 email: andytallis@yahoo.co.uk

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At Galleywood Youth FC, we’re taking our role to increase girls' participation in

football seriously. As the Girls Development Lead in the club, I get to work on some great initiatives to promote our club, boost participation, and keep inclusivity at the core of everything we do.

Promoting the Club

One of my main jobs is to get the word out about Galleywood Youth FC in our community. I talk to local schools, host open days and schedule our social media to show off the benefits of football for girls. By sharing success stories and creating a welcoming vibe, we’ve managed to attract more young girls to join our club. Thanks to these efforts so far, we’ve increased participation by an incredible 500% in just one season and now proudly have three girls’ teams, with a fourth one not far behind!

Fostering Inclusivity

Inclusivity is a big deal at Galleywood Youth FC. I make sure all girls, no matter their background or ability, feel welcome and valued. This means implementing policies that promote diversity, offering tailored support for girls with different needs, and fostering a culture of respect and encouragement. This can range from supplying period products for teams to access, ensuring that kits are suitable and comfortable for girls to wear, to sharing how to use a defibrillator specifically for anyone with breasts. Even coaching techniques are discussed, with someone asking me not that long ago if you taught girls to chest a ball in the same way as boys! By embedding inclusivity into our club’s ethos, we create a supportive community where every girl can thrive.

Everyday Decision Making

My role also involves advocating for girls’ football in our club’s decisions. I ensure that resources are allocated fairly and that the needs of female players are considered in all aspects of club planning. This also includes securing funding for girls’ teams and investing in female coaching staff.

Girls Open Day

We’re excited to announce a Girls Open Day on 24th August, where we invite girls aged between 4 and 11 to come along. We’re welcoming all abilities, so whether you’re new to football or have been playing for a while, we’d love to see you there!

Emma Toms

Galleywood FC Girls Development Lead / Social Secretary

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LOCAL ADULT

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL EAST Essex County Women's Football League - Home | Facebook

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LEAGUES

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YOUTH RESULTS 23/24 Lorem Ipsum dolor sit

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ESSEX MENS SATURDAY RESULTS 23/24 Logo Description automatically generated

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ESSEX WOMENS Lorem Ipsum dolor sit RESULTS 23/24

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ESSEX FA NEW ESSEX UNDER 13s GIRLS CUP FOR SEASON 2024/25 Steady Female Participation Growth Recognised A brand-new Essex Under 13s Girls Cup has been introduced by the Essex County FA for the forthcoming 2024/25 season, further recognising the steady growth of female football participation within the county.

Paying tribute to the recent success of the England Lionesses, it’s been agreed that now is the time to add an additional competition at this age group. Following a full consultation process, a County Cup Structure Group met on Friday 14th June and unanimously agreed the new competition should be introduced for this campaign.

A growth in entries had been noted across the girls’ county cups since the start of the Essex County FA #MovingForward Strategy for 2021-2024, the Under 12s age group leading the way with a 100% increase in entries. The Under 14s were not far behind, rising by 83%, while the Under 16s also grew by 21%. Previously, Under 13s teams had been eligible to enter the Under 14s Girls Cup. This created a larger competition with a wider range of divisional entrants.

However, Under 12s players playing up an age group were unable to compete in the Under 14s Cup due to maximum age band requirements, in accordance with FA rules. This led to withdrawals due to squad size, especially as it was the first 11v11 age group (following 9v9 at Under 12s).

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Female county cup competitions in Essex, within the youth age groups, were first introduced for the 2009/10 season in the Under 14s and 16s age groups. There have since been additions at Under 12s and Under 18s subsequently, as well as a secondary open-age Women’s Trophy competition. It is envisaged that the new Under 13s competition will prove very popular.

Essex County FA Football Development Officer, Emma Burden, commented: “This is a massive positive for the Essex grassroots female community. We’ve seen exponential growth in the Under 12s girls age group, and this is due to the commitment within leagues, clubs and the volunteer workforce locally.”

“Sustaining a female pathway which offers competitive opportunities for age groups, where retention is key, is a challenge for all sports, and I’m thrilled that Essex can offer another strand within our current county cup competitions.”

Cups & Competitions lead, Mark Wallis, added: “For many grassroots clubs and teams, participation in a County Cup represents the highest level of competition each season, and it provides a prestigious opportunity to challenge different teams from outside of your league. Thousands of players enjoy taking part every year and we’ve seen some very exciting games, so ensure your team enters before the deadline to join in!”

Visit www.essexfa.com/cups-and-competitions to find out more about the Essex County FA’s competitions. You can also interact with @EssexCountyFA on X and search for the ‘EssexFootball’ page on Facebook.

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ESSEX FA APPLY NOW FOR PARTIALLY FUNDED PLACES PROGRAMME Providing Additional Support for Football Coaches To support football being truly a game for all, England Football Learning are currently offering partially funded places on their most popular coaching courses as part of their Partially Funded Places Programme, with Essex coaches set to benefit.

The programme has been developed to support coaches who may be facing barriers to getting involved. Alongside the Essex County FA, England Football want to create a more inclusive coaching workforce, so they will be offering funding for 20% of all places on the Introduction to Coaching Football, UEFA ‘C’ Licence and UEFA ‘B’ Licence as part of the programme. This funding has been provided by Sport England and England Football Learning.

This programme offers learners the chance to apply for an 85% discount on the cost of the course. Learners will only need to pay the remaining 15% of the course fee. This means that the cost of these courses for successful applicants will be:

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Introduction to Coaching Football: The partial funding offer includes Safeguarding, Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAIF), and the Introduction to Coaching Football. The total cost would be £160 but, with a partially funded place, this would cost just £24.

This reduction still applies for anyone who already has their IFAIF and Safeguarding.

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UEFA ‘C’ Licence: The course costs £650. England Football fund £555, learner only pays £95.

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UEFA ‘B’ Licence: The course costs £1,200. England Football fund £1,020, learner only pays £180.

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The initiative is aligned to England Football’s wider goal of helping to increase participation within historically underrepresented groups (including female coaches, disabled coaches and coaches from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic backgrounds) as well as supporting individuals from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

To find out more about eligibility, or to apply for a partially funded place, visit www.essexfa.com. You can also interact with the Essex County FA via the @EssexCountyFA and @EssexCoaches accounts on X, or by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

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Football Fitness Club Embracing Pre-Season Training A Fresh Start for Success As the off-season winds down and the new Football season approaches, pre-season training looms on the horizon. For athletes, coaches, and teams alike, this period marks a crucial time of preparation and rejuvenation. But rather than viewing pre-season training as a gruelling necessity, we should embrace it as a golden opportunity—a fresh start to set the foundation for success.

Rebuilding Strength and Stamina After a period of rest and recovery during the off-season, pre-season training is the perfect time to rebuild strength and stamina. While it may be tempting to jump straight into high-intensity workouts, the focus should be on gradual progression. Start with lighter, controlled exercises to recondition muscles, enhance flexibility, and prevent injuries. Incorporating a mix of cardiovascular training, strength work, and agility drills will ensure that your body is fully prepared for the demands of the upcoming season.

Setting New Goals and Objectives Pre-season is also a time for reflection and goal-setting. Take a moment to evaluate your previous season's performance. What were your strengths? Where did you fall short? Use these insights to set clear, measurable objectives for the season ahead. Whether it’s improving your sprint times, perfecting a particular skill, or building better teamwork, having specific goals will keep you motivated and focused during training.

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For team sports, pre-season training is critical for fostering team cohesion. It’s a time for new and returning players to bond, understand each other’s playing styles, and build the trust that will be essential during the season. Team-building exercises, scrimmages, and communication drills are just as important as physical conditioning.

When athletes work together in pre-season, they lay the groundwork for a united, resilient team that can tackle the challenges ahead.

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Fostering Team Cohesion

Sharpening Mental Focus Physical readiness is only part of the equation; mental preparation is equally vital. Pre-season is the ideal time to sharpen your mental focus and resilience. Visualization techniques, mindfulness practices, and mental conditioning exercises can help you develop the psychological edge needed to stay calm under pressure and bounce back from setbacks. Building mental toughness during pre-season will serve you well when the stakes are high during the actual competition.

Embracing the Challenge It’s natural to approach pre-season training with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. The workouts are demanding, the schedules are rigorous, and the road ahead can seem long. However, it’s essential to shift your mindset and embrace the challenge. Each drill, run, and practice session is an investment in your future success. Approach each day with a positive attitude and celebrate the small victories along the way—whether it’s hitting a new personal best, mastering a difficult skill, or simply making it through a tough session.

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Building Habits for Success Pre-season training is not just about preparing for the immediate season; it’s about building habits that lead to long-term success.

Consistency, discipline, and a strong work ethic developed during this time will carry you through the highs and lows of the season.

Establishing a routine that includes proper nutrition, adequate rest, and recovery practices is essential for maintaining peak performance throughout the year.

Conclusion Pre-season training is more than just a prelude to the competitive season; it’s a vital period of growth, preparation, and renewal. By embracing this time with enthusiasm and dedication, athletes can set themselves up for a successful season ahead. Remember, the work you put in during pre-season will pay dividends when it matters most. So, lace up your shoes, hit the field, and let the journey to greatness begin!

If you are interested in joining Football Fitness Clubs weekly session based in Chelmsford, Please contact: footballfitnessclub@btinternet.com A picture containing text, sign, tennis Description automatically generated

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grassroots magazine

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS F.C My name is Steve Spreadbury, Chairman of Heybridge Swifts FC, and it gives us great pleasure to form a partnership with Grassroots online Magazine and their staff.

We will be keeping everyone updated with what’s happening at Heybridge Swifts, the magazine will also be visiting some games and interviewing our first team Manager Julian Dicks, plus working with our Media team to showcase what we do as a club.

We currently have 20 youth teams ranging from mini kickers up to U18, and our aim is to help children progress along our Pathway into our reserve side and then hopefully, our 1st team. We also run two other men’s team, which are our Heybridge Social first team and reserves playing in the Chelmsford Sunday League.

Heybridge Swifts prides itself on being a family club firmly based in the community, where we try to involve as many of the children at match days where they can be mascots, they also help in getting balls back that end up out of the ground, enjoy some chips for their efforts afterwards, whilst the parents enjoy relaxing in the bar afterwards.

The club has come a long way since its formation in 1880 but is still run by volunteers, who work tirelessly to keep the club functioning to the standards we have set, constantly looking at ways to improve what we do and how we do it; and now having one of the best facilities at our level and maybe above.

We welcome everyone on match days and have great Sundays at the club with the refreshment hut and bar open and football throughout the day where on our 3G stadium pitch the youth teams all get to play some of their games and that goes a long way with the players as they get to feel like special players being able to emulate our first team on the pitch and feel a full part of the club.

We look forward to updating you on the progress of our teams and hope you enjoy reading the pages in this great magazine and of course interviews with our manager and other personalities as the season progresses.

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grassroots magazine

FINAL

WHISTLE

BY PAUL SMITH Hello All, So, we are back on after a 9day close season!! With preseason friendlies and a few games that count I'm over 25 games already.

A few laws have changed this year but the main two for me are:

Captains must wear armbands it's a compulsory piece of equipment now, personally at grassroots level I cannot see the point in this unless the captain is the only person that can speak to Referee as per Euro 2024.

Sin Bins, a change last year first sin bin offence did not result in a yellow card meaning in theory you could get three before a red was issued, now sin bin for dissent by word or action receive yellow card serve ten minutes return to field any other offence committed second yellow then red I like this makes it so much easier for everyone to understand.

As another season starts, we all look forward to being the best we can, striving for team goals, promotions, cup finals, mostly for fun and enjoyment and to keep fit wherever your season takes you I wish you all the best here we go again!!

Enjoy the game

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gives back

Grassroots Magazine is committed to giving back to grassroots football and we are excited to sponsor a talented young player Kaci Crook & an equally talented youth team in Broomfield Lions U13’s for this season.

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"Chris Berry Media, Freelance Videographer & Editor available to hire in the. I specialise in all things nonleague, with 6 years of football media experience, and I'm looking to help promote teams at all levels! I'm based in Essex, but I am willing to travel for the right opportunity.

If you want your game filmed and a highlights package, put together afterwards, then please get in touch by emailing cberrymedia@gmail.com or text 07447 458405" https://twitter.com/messages/media/1716932374142083238

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