Grassroots game to take centre stage

Some of the best grassroots clubs, leagues, coaches and volunteers from around the country will be at Wembley Stadium this Sunday to pick up their 2010 FA Community Awards presented by McDonald’s.

Hosted by BBC Sport’s Jake Humphrey, the inaugural awards presentation will take place before The FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester United with McDonald’s Football Ambassadors such as Sir Geoff Hurst, Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Pat Jennings joining Sir Trevor Brooking in The FA Club to meet this year’s outstanding award winners.

Receiving their awards on Sunday will be:

CHARTER STANDARD LEAGUE AWARD
Bolton, Bury and District Junior football League
This is the first Charter Standard League in Lancashire with 480 teams, over 5,300 players, and with all junior age groups covered from U7s to U16s playing Mini-Soccer, 9-a-side and 11-a-side. The League is committed to the National Game strategy and Football development plan and is working with youngsters across the League to increase their skills. All teams fully adhere to the Respect campaign and have put measures in place to ensure that this is carried out at all games within the League.

CHARTER STANDARD CLUB AWARD
Dagenham United Youth Football Club
Founded in 1961 with just one 11-a-side team playing over the par, the club is now the largest football club in Barking and Dagenham. It has over 350 young people playing in 23 teams and over 50 adult volunteers supporting the club in different roles.  The Club achieved Charter Standard status in 2007 and has gone on to run initiatives to get girls into football, host regular summer schools and School soccer sessions.

YOUNG VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Colin Moore
Colin has been playing football for the Sundon Park Rangers since he was six years old, but moved into a coaching role from the age of 16, and by the age of 17, he has already achieved his Level 2 coaching badge. He devotes up to eight hours each week to coaching teams at the club, as well as developing and managing the club website, mentoring other club coaches and acting as Vice Chair of the Club. His commitment to grassroots football in the area is exemplary providing opportunities for more youngsters in the area to get involved and play football.

CHARTER STANDARD DEVELOPMENT CLUB
Sherwood FC
Sherwood FC kicked off their 2009-2010 season with a free football festival at a local park paid for through grants and sponsorship, providing hundreds of local children with free coaching and football taster sessions. They used the festival to promote their football summer school and the event raised awareness to such an extent that they had over hundred people attend the school each week - 300 per cent up on the previous years. Through the success of the summer school, a number of additional players were recruited, creating additional teams to secure Sherwood FCs place as being the biggest provider of junior football in the City of Nottingham. The club is dedicated to improving coaching standards through training, they also adhere to the Respect programme and host regular FA Respect evenings for managers, and they pro-actively contribute to the Kick It Out Campaign.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Cindy Halliday
Cindy Halliday is a service woman who each week travels a 50-mile round trip to inspire young people in the rural town of Catterick, North Yorkshire. Cindy is enormously popular with players and parents due to her infectious enthusiasm and passion for coaching football.  She coaches children of all ages and ability and brings variety and new skills to each session that she coaches. Cindy is a firm believer in sportsmanship and encourages the children to shake hands and applaud each other at the end of the match.

CHARTER STANDARD COMMUNITY CLUB
Curley Park Rangers
Curley Park Rangers have been in the heart of the local community for the last 36 years, welcoming players of all ages and ability to train and enjoy football. The club currently has over 550 members, both boys and girls, aged five years up with currently 38 registered teams playing every weekend. They work closely with the County FA to support football development initiatives, and are actively looking to develop more football for girls in the area as well as helping a Disability Charity by providing football taster sessions. They are inclusive, well run and act as an inspiration to their members.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Bill Taylor
Bill has given over 30 years service to grassroots football in Kent, volunteering in different roles from manager to referee and administrator. Bill started volunteering as U12s team manager at Lenham Wanderers in 1978 and held the role of Chairman for 20 years. Since then, he has been the driving force in all the major developments of the club, including over-seeing the building of purpose-built changing rooms. Bill has also been secretary of the local youth league with over 115 teams in which he takes on a number of admin roles including discipline, registration, fixtures and results.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION – To be announced on the day
Ron Collins, Richard Oxtoby, Caimin Rowntree, Mike Robinson, Keith Hardy, Keith Chamberlain, Jeff Brown and Liz Barnett
TheFA.com will feature profiles of the Outstanding Contribution nominees throughout the week in the lead up to The Community Shield this Sunday.