This weekend we held our 2024 football introductory session for children currently in school reception and year 1. Fantastic to see so many boys and girls keen to join for next season’s Under 6’s and Under 7’s Accies. All the kids had so much fun, it was great to see so many smiling faces, and it was lovely to hear such positive feedback from all the parents.
It’s been a ‘right move’ for the Ashwell Academicals Under 13 girls’ football team who have scored a new 2-year sponsorship deal with local multi-award winning estate agency, Ensum Brown.
The team is looking to build on the success of their 2022/23 season which saw them reach the final of the Herts Junior plate in May.
After a summer inspired by the Lionesses’ World Cup performances, the team have been joined by some new players and are motivated to show their continued development this season.
Team manager Neil Bassill said: “We are grateful to Ensum Brown for getting behind local grassroots girls’ football. This two-year sponsorship has enabled us to provide the team with a brand new kit to wear as they play their matches across Hertfordshire.”
Neil Wise, Managing Director of Ensum Brown, added: “We are delighted to be supporting our first local girls’ football team as the female game goes from strength-to-strength. The community fund aims to support initiatives which make a difference to the local area and we wish the Ashwell Academicals U13s girls the very best for the season ahead.”
The team welcomes new players who would like to play competitive football with girls their own age. Players in school years 7 and 8 are welcome to join the team for training which takes place on Tuesday evenings at 6pm in Ashwell, with matches being played on Saturdays.
To find out more please email u13girls@ashwellacademicals.com.
Our Accies Under 9’s have just taken delivery of their smart new kit for the 22-23 season thanks to our very generous sponsors Taylor Dolman (taylordolman.com).
Not only have they been given a smart new match kit, but Taylor Dolman have also provided a very snazzy training top for those cold winter evenings on the training pitch. The Accies really couldn’t survive without the continued support of sponsors such as Taylor Dolman, so a big thank you from all the players, coaches, and parents for your support.
This weekend the Ashwell Accies and the Royston Crow Youth Football League has chosen to take part in the National Silent Support Weekend where Leagues and Clubs across the country are asking all spectators and coaches to show their support through applause only when the match is in play. This gives players a better opportunity to find their own voice and develop their game.
https://www.thefa.com/…/21/silent-support-weekend-20221021
What to do at the Silent Weekend?
What are the benefits of the Silent Weekend?
Find out what happens when we turn the volume down for the players on the pitch.
We’re backing Play
Ashwell Accies is lending its full support to Play Safe – an ongoing national campaign led by The FA to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding in football.
Although it runs throughout the year, Play Safe really comes to the fore over football’s National Safeguarding Weekend, held this year on Saturday/Sunday 1st and 2nd October.
The main focus this year is on parents and carers, with two key messages to convey:
Importantly, encouragement to take the new course has come from FASSSAG – The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group:
“We have inputted into the course and helped frame its key messages from our collective experiences. It’s vitally important to us that every parent/carer understands they role they need to play in football. Taking this course can make a real difference – we are asking every parent/carer to commit to help ensure football is ever-safer.”
The support of FASSSAG has been welcomed by FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham, himself a parent and youth football coach. “The FASSSAG has been important in helping us create our new strategy moving forwards and we really appreciate their input into the new course. I have taken the new course and encourage all parents/carers across football to take it too.
“Ultimately, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We all need to ensure that everyone involved in football – particularly children and young people – has a consistently safe and positive experience of our great game. Play Safe reminds everyone of that responsibility and keeps safeguarding front of mind, which is exactly where it should be.” Play Safe is being run in partnership with the NSPCC and has the full backing of the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship. It’s also supported and being run across every other level of the game.
Congratulations to all our Accies Girls in the Cambridge United Girls Development Structure, who have either been retained in their Girls Development Centre (GDC), have been retained or advanced into their Elite Centre (GEC), or who have been selected to join the new FA Girls Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) for the coming 22/23 season.
All of these girls started their football with the Accies, and are all still playing for the Accies in either mixed teams or girls teams. They have all worked so hard over the last few seasons to develop their match skills, and it is a fantastic achievement to be playing under the Cambridge United Development Scheme.
They should all be very proud of their accomplishments to date.
Izzy (U14’s) has retained her position in the Girls Development Centre
Ella-Jane (U12’s) has advance into the Girls Elite Centre
Amelie (U12’s) has retained her position in the Girls Elite Centre
Ailsa (U14’s) has advance into the Girls Elite Centre
Billie (U14’s) has retained her position in the Girls Elite Centre, and also been selected for the new FA National Girls Emerging Talent Centre
Some of our Accies were lucky enough to be part of history at the weekend when they travelled to see England Women win the UEFA Women’s Euros 2022.
It was a fantastic experience, and a day we will all remember for a very long time. The impact this tournament & the lionesses will have on the next generation of players, and women in general, cannot be underestimated.
Great to see some of your photos from the day, and I understand some of our Accies even featured on the BBC coverage on the TV.
Congratulations to all of the England Women’s Team, and we are looking forward to seeing our inspired Accie Girls continuing the growth of girls football this coming season, and who knows, there may well be some future England players in our ranks.
What an exciting time to be part of the Women’s game!
It was amazing to see the club come together for our 2021/22 Trophy Night at the Ashwell Rec last night …the first time in three years following all the disruption due to COVID.
We welcomed lots of new faces, and caught up with some old friends. All the players (nearly 150 children from Ashwell and the surrounding area) loved receiving their Trophies, and a massive amount of fun was had by all.
Thank you to all the committee members who worked so hard to make the event special, to all the coaches for their hard work and support throughout the year and on the night, to all the parents and guardians who support us so well throughout the season, and especially to all the players for making all the hard work worthwhile.
Have a great summer break everyone, enjoy the Women’s Euros over the next few weeks, and we look forward to seeing you all at the start of next season.
Ashwell Accies Under 14’s travelled to Sandy on May 21st to take part in their 11-a-side tournament. The Accies qualified for the Semi-Finals after an eventful Round Robin group stage, the highlight of which were goals from Tom Warburton, Aston Byatt and Noah Hobbis in a 3-0 victory over Wymondley.
In the semi-final they were drawn against Broadhall Youth, from the league above them, and it was a thrilling end-to-end encounter throughout the 15-minute match. Samuel Handley had a fine effort saved by the Broadhall keeper, and then the Accies Number 1 Lucas Smith athletically tipped a rasping shot from the Broadhall striker past the post. Warburton then went close for Ashwell before the only goal of the game came as Smith made another super save only for the ball to drop to the feet of that same Broadhall striker who fired home the rebound. Despite the Accies pushing forward in numbers, and both Max Delderfield and Aston Byatt seeing the Broadhall keeper make further smart stops, it just wasn’t to be.
