A GIRLS’ football team has the world at its feet following a large cash injection from Hallam FM’s Cash for Kids scheme.
Skillz Are for Girls (SAFG) United, set up and run by former Barnsley Ladies coaches Craig Marsh, 36, and Chris White, 33, is currently in its first competitive season of football.
The team won £5,766 from the scheme, which will go towards new training kits, equipment, tournament fees and even a Christmas party for the players and their families as a ‘thank you’ for their support.
Craig called the sum ‘overwhelming’ and said it would maintain the club, previously funded entirely by the coaches and team subscriptions, for the next four or five years.
“Things have been picking up,” said former non-league player Craig, from Aldham Crescent in Wombwell. “And we don’t get the chance to sit back and reflect on what we have done and look at the girls’ development very much.
“But the world is our oyster at the minute. We’re looking to grow the club with more girls’ teams and hopefully a ladies’ team, and this money gives us the platform to be sustainable. It’s massive, I’m proud of Chris and the girls and I know likewise.”
The sum will be a boost to the club which initially had to borrow nets from the local boys’ team for matches in its first season in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Women and Girls Under 13s League.
“Myself and Chris are both in teaching so this is not our profession, it’s our hobby,” Craig said. “We’ve been putting our own money in, which has been a massive act of commitment to the girls and to ourselves as well.
“We’ve made a commitment to these girls to progress them and create life skills as well, and if one goes on to make it professionally I know we’ve had an impact on her life.”
Craig said the club would be looking to invest the money into expansion, bringing in new teams and coaches, and would also be using it to put its goalkeeping coach through his Level 1 coaching qualification.
