Shepreth Spitfires

Shepreth Spitfires Football Club

The first part of the season has been fantastic all round with some amazing individual, team and club achievements. The large number of friendlies that most teams got to play before the season started, and the tournaments that our younger teams have entered, really meant that the children got back into their footie with all the drive and energy that they had built up during the first lockdown. Three older siblings and one of our older players have entered into refereeing as well this season, so everyone has been very active. The youngest of the Spitfires teams entered both the Cambridge FC and the Norwich FC tournaments which they all thoroughly enjoyed. All of the children received medals and two of the children were lucky enough to be scouted for Pre-Academy football while another was selected for Norwich Player Development Centre. This of course required another round of post match sweets for everyone, so that all of the children could celebrate!

The under 7s also join our under 9s and under 11s 66 squadron team in a great achievement, that of not being beaten in a league or friendly match in the first part of the season. They are all very proud of themselves for this achievement about which they chat at the beginning and end of each game; this is lovely and some times funny to hear. Other great team news is that the second U7s team (66 Sqn) now have a kit sponsor from sustainability and impact consultancy company, Beta Good. Their Chief Executive, Mr Gadsby, has also contributed further funds to support the families who find it tricky to buy the extra kit needed for football.

In addition to this lovely news, Shepreth Spitfires U8s 66 Sqn have also received sponsorship from AJM Health Care who provide wheelchair

services across the country. We therefore now join the community of sports teams, both able-bodied and wheelchair sports, that this company invest in. A big thank you to Beta Good and AJM for keeping the cost of local children’s football affordable!

Shepreth Spitfires Football club as a whole has also taken a great leap forward by purchasing static lights for winter training. These lights have been a fundraising target for the club for over a year and a half and it is great to see the children and coaches enjoying training on a fantastic facility. The club would like to thank Toz, Adam, Colin and all of the team at the Eternit Sports and Social Club, Whaddon Road, Meldreth who always support sport and health care charities in the local community and who have made this possible. One of the younger lads said that he feels like he is playing at a football stadium in the floodlights. So, a few dreams have come true for individuals, teams and the whole club at Shepreth Spitfires FC and we look forward to starting training again after Lockdown 2, and hope that everyone in the club and the wider communities returns happy and healthy in December. If any children would like to join the Shepreth Spitfires Football team, please contact Sean or Lucy on 07510 175370. The teams are especially recruiting children in school years 3 and 4 at the moment but do have some spaces in other age groups. Thank you.

Lucy Smith