The Football Association has announced that Pitch Invasion, Eastleigh has become the 75th centre to attain The FA Small Sided Football Award.
The five-a-side football league, which takes place at Crestwood Leisure Centre in Eastleigh, Hampshire, will now be able to display The FA’s famous Three Lions badge.
Dermot Collins, The FA’s National Development Manager for Small Sided Football, is pleased to have reached the milestone, saying: "We have noticed that the standards of Small Sided Football centres are already improving and it is particularly encouraging that both facility operators and league organisers are achieving the Award."
The FA estimates that there are over 1,300 Small Sided Football leagues in England and Pitch Invasion have now achieved The FA's quality mark for three of its five-a-side football leagues.
James Leggat, Pitch Invasion's Contract Manager for the centre, is delighted to have achieved the quality mark, adding: "The FA Small Sided Football Award is a superb initiative which allows our good business practices to be recognised. It is a fantastic accolade to achieve and one we hope to attain in the future for many of our other venues."
The scheme, which was launched in 2008, promotes the continued development of facilities and participation in Small Sided Football by:
• Offering recognition and benefits to those providers that attain The FA's quality standards.
• Promoting best practice guidelines for Small Sided Football centres and competition organisers.
• Enhancing the awareness and profile of Small Sided Football in England.
• Encouraging participation opportunities for all players, referees and coaches.
There are two levels of rating, with a Standard rating for those centres and competition organisers that achieve the rigorous quality standards and an Advanced rating for providers that contribute to the delivery of The FA's Football Development Strategy.
As the national governing body for football, The FA is responsible for the governance, administration and development of the sport in England. Its role encompasses the traditional eleven-a-side format, Mini-Soccer for children and Small Sided Football, which includes five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side and Futsal.
The FA's annual Football Trends survey indicates that there are currently four million people playing Small Sided Football in England, making it the most popular team sport in the country.
