Meet Katy Nunn, founder of 'Nunny's Funky Boots' helping more women to play regular football

Monday 17 Jul 2017

Twelve years ago Katy Nunn had never kicked a football – now she pours her heart and soul into organising weekly women’s training sessions and such efforts have landed her a top award.

‘Nunny’s Funky Boots’ runs on Thursday nights in Sheffield where up to 16 thirty-somethings – on average – come and train, then compete in a league on Monday nights.

More than just a couple of hours get-together each week, “the lasses” have become great friends and socialise regularly, so it’s easy to see why Nunn was nominated for the 2017 FA Mars Just Play Organiser of the Year award, which she collected at St. George’s Park last month.

It’s certainly been quite the journey from those early days of making up the numbers to help out friends, as the 41-year-old explains.

“I had friends that played football, just a few lasses getting together, and they needed more players,” said Nunn.

“I had never played football, I wasn’t a fan, but I’m quite active and I thought, why not?

“This was in 2005 and it’s grown from there.

“I couldn’t kick the ball when I started and I pulled my quads as well – that’s sort of an initiation-to-football injury.

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“I’ve still not got fast feet that those that have been playing for years have, but I enjoy it and I’ve got a little better just by playing more and more.

“The opportunity to play with like-minded lasses is what appeals and I like the team-sport aspect.”

A full-time technician at Sheffield Hallam University, Nunn dedicates much of her free-time to the administration of her sessions.

It’s clear though, ‘Nunny’s Funky Boots’ is very much a labour of love.

“It takes time, but we are a good bunch of girls and all muck in,” she added. “I don’t organise the team that plays in the league on a Monday for example, or our socials.

“People want to help each other, because we all just want to play football.

“It’s boosted my social life, these lasses are my friends and we go out together.”

It has not all been plain-sailing for Nunn.

She admits maintaining a consistent number of players was once a big challenge, but since signing up for The FA Mars Just Play sessions those concerns have disappeared.

“In the early days we struggled for numbers and we had to get boys to come and help us get up to 10 so we could play a match,” said Nunn.

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“It’s gone up and down over the years and there were times where we nearly had to pack it in.

“But we managed to keep it going and its grown from strength to strength, really since we signed up to Just Play, and of course the women’s game is getting more popular nationwide.”

The FA Girls’ Football Week – Euro Celebrations will run for the rest of the month up until 6 August, encouraging more girls around the country to get out and play football.

And Nunn, whose sessions have proved so popular that friend Helen Crank is set to introduce them in her native Lake District, feels now is a great time to get involved.

“I grew up in Scunthorpe and there was never the opportunity to play football,” she added.

“Girls didn’t do it – it was ‘illegal’ – it was a boy’s sport. Girl’s did cross country running or played hockey. That was the mentality then.

“It’s very different now.

“The Women’s Euros are about to start, so there will be more eyes on the game than at any other time of the year.

“So now is as good a time as any to get out there and have a go.”

To discover more about The FA Mars Just Play programme and where you can find your local session, visit: http://justplay.thefa.com/

By Josh Richards Digital Producer

For Katy