AFC Rushden & Diamonds Youth are delighted to make several exciting announcements at once, all based around one of the tasks we set ourselves midway through last season, the forming of a girls’ football section within our club.
Firstly, we welcome the first newcomer to the club, Kevin Bull has joined us in the role of ‘Girls football lead’.
Coming to us from Grammarians where he started their girls’ football setup several years ago growing it into a thriving hub of girls’ football in Wellingborough.
We had already established a group of girls ready to compete in the Northants girls U14’s league next season, but in a short space of time Kevin has added to this by assembling a group to compete in the U12 league of the same league and with that brought two new coaches to the club in Shannon Kelland and Stacie Franks, this is what they had to say on joining the club;
“We are overwhelmed to be on board with coaching at AFC Rushden & Diamonds, and we are looking forward to participating in the development of the girls’ football in the area and also for us as coaches.
“We both have played for Rothwell Corinthians for nearly 6 years, working alongside each other every Sunday in games, improving our football as players and gaining a wider knowledge of the sport.
“Football to us is a passion, we play because we love the game, but we also play for socialising and team work, which are key in a team.
"We are looking at bringing all the knowledge we have gained over the last 8 years to the AFC Rushden & Diamonds U12 girls.
“The knowledge we have gained will help us develop the girls and their football, no doubt. They are an amazing bunch of girls and all show huge potential.
“We had our first tournament together on the 4th July (Welland Valley), and I think you will agree there is no better start than a winning start, well, we did just that, champions of our age group. Everyone there was over the moon, parents, players, and coaches. This shows what a team we have already, formed in less than a month.
”The team will continue to grow, creating what Stacie and I call a ‘football family’. Football to us is about enjoying it, being a team, communicating and developing, winning will follow, but to us the above are the key aspects we believe in as coaches and players.
“Thank you to Mark Cullen and Kevin Bull for giving us this opportunity, and taking us on board. I hope we have many years together being part of AFC Rushden & Diamonds, and thank you to all the committed girls. You will all develop your football, that’s not an opinion, it is a fact.
“Bring on the new season!
“Shannon & Stacie”
So… If you want to join us or know someone who might, from age 9 upwards, get in touch with Kev on 07926 903 221