St Peters FC

St Peters Iver FC is an FA registered football club for boys and girls of (nearly) all ages run by local volunteers. Founded in 1996 we play at Richings Sports Park (with an additional full size pitch nearby) providing fun football for as many kids as we can on a Saturday morning.

For the parents we have a parent-run coffee bar to keep everyone warm on the side-lines whilst they are chilling out or catching up with friends. We also contribute funds towards the running of the sports club to help maintain the facilities for the wider community.

Currently we have training from under 5/6 (school year 1), with matches from U7s (school year 2) to U15s. There is also an associated adult team that are happy for people to try out. The club has a strong underlying philosophy of making football coaching possible for children of all ages irrespective of their ability, within the constraints of space and coaches that we have available. We strongly feel that football should be accessible and enjoyable to all that take part. That means there are no trials, it is first come, first served!

The age groups we have depend on our volunteers, who typically coach their own child’s age group, then move on and leave us, so we are always looking for new people to get involved. No experience is necessary, just commitment and an aptitude to handle (or learn how to handle) a group of kids that may or may not be giving you their undivided attention and may or may not be the next Premier League superstar!

Whilst we have an association with St. Peters church and enjoy their support helping with the coffee bar, we are very much a community club, with great diversity. We are open to everybody that shares our ethos. We consider our role as coaches is not only to teach football but also to instil a disciplined and considerate attitude in all those who attend – including any overly exuberant fans! We aim to ensure everyone has fun whilst learning to be part of a team and respecting opponents, team mates, referees and everyone else.

It is fair to say that the quality of our teams varies from group to group, but the passion is constant. We have our share of silverware from cups, leagues and summer tournaments, we also have had players signing for professional teams. We even had Dynamo FC from Indianapolis come over to play us! Watching the kids line up and sing national anthems was great entertainment!

To keep part of your weekends free for other activities we have either training or matches on a Saturday morning. Some other local clubs will train on a Saturday and play on a Sunday. Our volunteers help in many different ways, coach, assistant coach, referee, linesman, line marking, helping with kit, admin support, organising events, cheerleading and sponsorship. So there is something for everyone to get involved in.

Every resident of Richings Park has a historic right to access these facilities, but they need to be maintained by the users as they are not council facilities, hence why it is treated as a members club. If football is not your thing, then consider joining the tennis, bowls, or become a social member so we can keep the facilities for the next generation of residents. Dog walking is unfortunately not allowed on the grounds as it is a hazard for the kids and frankly demotivating on a Saturday morning for our volunteer coaches if they have to clear up. We would appreciate it if all residents would respect this, particularly as there is a lovely woodland walk just across Richings Way.

Come along and get involved, it is contagious! In ‘normal’ times you will find us at the grounds every Saturday from 9.00, with training from 9.30 to 11,00 from September through to April. Contact details are on our website, or reach out to us on Facebook or stpetersiverfc.com

Patriots win the Hazlemere tournament! St Peter’s Patriots model a new strip at Richings Park