Hundreds Enjoy Community Football Day
Boys and girls of various age groups enjoyed a free Essex County FA Community Football Day on Saturday (16th July) as hundreds of players and their fa
Click here to see photos from the day on Facebook, or here to interact on Twitter.
The annual event, mainly for FA Charter Standard Clubs, is one of the benefits of achieving the status. Included in the festivities were mini matches, sessions with the FA Skills Team and community coaches and an inflatable fun zone. For the first time, a boys’ event was organised for the morning, while the girls had their turn in the afternoon.
There was also a special guest appearance from football freestyler Colin Nell, who dazzled the crowds with his ball-juggling skills. After lunch England and Watford Ladies stars Mollie Burgess and Phoebe Read dropped by to pose for photos, sign autographs and take questions about how they have progressed in football and the characteristics required for success.
After a brief introduction, the teams were split into groups of the same age but comprising players from different clubs. There were three different areas set-up on the site - fun, skills and games. In the fun area, players took part in various activities including speed shot, shooting and dribbling accuracy and games inside inflatable pitches. FA Skills and local community coaches helped the players with numerous areas of the game in their section.
There were also pitches marked out with matches all managed by Young Leaders and volunteers, plus a ‘Selfie Station’ with face-painting proved popular, especially in the afternoon. When the session finished, everyone gathered for a presentation where each player received an Essex County FA goody bag. Essex County FA Football Development Officer, Danielle Warnes, was delighted to see so many smiling faces at the event.
She reported: “We tried something a little different this year by having two events within one, and it worked really well. We’re so glad the attendance was huge and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves in very sunny conditions. There was plenty for everyone to do and we’re so grateful to all the volunteers who helped to make this festival a huge success.”
Information and photos from the day can also be found on Twitter @EssexCountyFA (additionally by browsing the #ECFACommunityDay16 hashtag) and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.
Clubs taking part included: Aveley, Basildon Boys Club, Chigwell Boys, Chelmsford City Girls, Colchester Town Girls, Colebrook Royals Girls, Dagenham United, Dunmow Rhodes Girls, Essex Royals, Forest Glade, Hatfield Peverel, Hawkwell Athletic, Heathlands School, Heybridge Swifts, Holland, Hullbridge Sports Girls, Hutton, Leigh Ramblers, Leighwood United Girls, Little Oakley, Mornington Boys, Risden Wood Girls, Royal Falcons, Springfield, Stanway Rovers, Trinity.
The Essex County FA would like to thank: Great Baddow High School, The FA, McDonald’s, Wendy the Caterer, Essex & Suffolk Water, Football Futures, Essex County FA Youth Council, Colin Nell, Michael Richardson, Fun Time Ltd, Shoot4Goal, Derek the Ice Cream Man, FA Skills, FA Girls Regional Talent Club coaches, Charlie Twydell plus all the parents, spectators, players, coaches, referees and volunteers, including those from Football Futures.
The annual event, mainly for FA Charter Standard Clubs, is one of the benefits of achieving the status. Included in the festivities were mini matches, sessions with the FA Skills Team and community coaches and an inflatable fun zone. For the first time, a boys’ event was organised for the morning, while the girls had their turn in the afternoon.
There was also a special guest appearance from football freestyler Colin Nell, who dazzled the crowds with his ball-juggling skills. After lunch England and Watford Ladies stars Mollie Burgess and Phoebe Read dropped by to pose for photos, sign autographs and take questions about how they have progressed in football and the characteristics required for success.
After a brief introduction, the teams were split into groups of the same age but comprising players from different clubs. There were three different areas set-up on the site - fun, skills and games. In the fun area, players took part in various activities including speed shot, shooting and dribbling accuracy and games inside inflatable pitches. FA Skills and local community coaches helped the players with numerous areas of the game in their section.
There were also pitches marked out with matches all managed by Young Leaders and volunteers, plus a ‘Selfie Station’ with face-painting proved popular, especially in the afternoon. When the session finished, everyone gathered for a presentation where each player received an Essex County FA goody bag. Essex County FA Football Development Officer, Danielle Warnes, was delighted to see so many smiling faces at the event.
She reported: “We tried something a little different this year by having two events within one, and it worked really well. We’re so glad the attendance was huge and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves in very sunny conditions. There was plenty for everyone to do and we’re so grateful to all the volunteers who helped to make this festival a huge success.”
Information and photos from the day can also be found on Twitter @EssexCountyFA (additionally by browsing the #ECFACommunityDay16 hashtag) and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.
Clubs taking part included: Aveley, Basildon Boys Club, Chigwell Boys, Chelmsford City Girls, Colchester Town Girls, Colebrook Royals Girls, Dagenham United, Dunmow Rhodes Girls, Essex Royals, Forest Glade, Hatfield Peverel, Hawkwell Athletic, Heathlands School, Heybridge Swifts, Holland, Hullbridge Sports Girls, Hutton, Leigh Ramblers, Leighwood United Girls, Little Oakley, Mornington Boys, Risden Wood Girls, Royal Falcons, Springfield, Stanway Rovers, Trinity.
The Essex County FA would like to thank: Great Baddow High School, The FA, McDonald’s, Wendy the Caterer, Essex & Suffolk Water, Football Futures, Essex County FA Youth Council, Colin Nell, Michael Richardson, Fun Time Ltd, Shoot4Goal, Derek the Ice Cream Man, FA Skills, FA Girls Regional Talent Club coaches, Charlie Twydell plus all the parents, spectators, players, coaches, referees and volunteers, including those from Football Futures.
