It’s not just a mans game…
I will never forget the day I got it. After weeks and weeks of disappointment I finally got my hands on it! I got my hands on that Premier League Sticker that everyone wanted. I ran home from school excited to tell my dad. As I burst through the door, I started to yell… “Dad, Dad… I got him, I got him!” My Dad turned to look at me with a big grin on his face and said; “You got Stan Collymore?”. I replied; ‘No. I got Alan Shearer’.
Girls Football
It was tough growing up being a girl into football. There weren’t many opportunities to play and I spent most of my time alone playing football in my back garden. I sometimes played with the boys at school at playtime but it wasn’t until I was 11 years old that opportunities became available to play with girls. Kimberley Leisure Centre started a recreational football session on a Thursday evening and I was one of the first to sign up. My best friend and I attended the session weekly with about 8 other girls who were also keen to become the next Stuart Pearce, Mark Crossley, Steve Stone (or Alan Shearer in my case). I was (and am) a Nottingham Forest fan. Part of the Junior Reds and attended the football coaching days they did, along with a few matches at The City Ground with my Dad. I did and do love Forest, but I also loved the way Alan Shearer played. His strength, his heading skills and his eye for the goal amazed me. Did you know that he still holds a number of Premier League records?
As I grew older and girls football grew more popular, football clubs started to open their doors to girls and launch girls only teams where I gained more experience as a player. I took a break from football when I started my studies at Loughborough University but always missed the game. With the pressures of work and family life, playing football seemed further and further away until I decided it was time to pick up my boots and take action.
Local Sessions
We offer two social ladies football sessions that have worked perfectly for me and a number of other ladies. Sessions allow you to turn up, have a laugh and have a kick around with a few mates with no pressure. The sessions, hosted at Chilwell Olympia and Kimberley Leisure Centre are perfect for those like me who used to play, or for those looking to give it a go.
Fancy coming along and joining us? New ladies are always welcome…just pop along and give it a go!
Ladies Football Kimberley – Kimberley Leisure Centre, Tuesdays 7-8pm
Ladies Football Beeston – Chilwell Olympia, Thursdays 7-8pm
Over the years, I have also developed a huge passion for triathlon and it’s a big part of my life. (You may have noticed this from my other Blogs!) I won’t lie though. Being on a football pitch always feels like home.
Anna Smith-Clare
