County award caps club's comeback

Kidsgrove Athletic are heading into the 2017-18 EVO-STIK League campaign as the Staffordshire FA's FA Charter Standard Club of the Year!

Proud officials from the EVO-STIK League South’s Grove were at Stoke City's Bet365 Stadium to collect the accolade at the 2017 Staffordshire FA Community Awards.

Hosted by Stoke City presenter Steve Buxton, last weekend’s ceremony saw more than 40 volunteers gather at the Premier League club’s home to recognise and celebrate the hard work and dedication of volunteers across the county, Staffordshire FA chief executive officer Adam Evans handing out the accolades to representatives from clubs and deserving grassroots heroes in 15 categories ranging from Young Volunteer of the Year to Coach of the Year.

The Grove were honoured for their efforts at The Novus Stadium over the last three years to become "a real community club" following hard times and the election of a new board to inject a new lease of life into the Staffordshire outfit.

Thanks to efforts of the new regime, the club now boasts 26 male and female junior teams ranging from U7s to U18s. All managers are FA level 1 coaches with a new coach selected every season to take a level 2 qualification. At senior levels, coaches are licensed to UEFA B standard or working toward the qualification.

Athletic have also become successful members the NPL Football Academy and now employ a full-time community officer to run everything from a Saturday morning coaching school to holiday clubs after launching formal partnerships with Kings High School and a number of other local schools, colleges and community organisations.

The club’s fans, players, officials and volunteers have also been busy away from the field of play strengthening links with their local community, raising thousands of pounds for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice and Marie Curie cancer care charities, collecting funds to provide a defibrillator for local schools and delivering Christmas hampers to the elderly who live in the bungalows adjacent to their ground.

A Staffordshire FA spokesperson said: “The FA Community Awards aim to recognise and reward those involved in grassroots football from across the county who make a real difference to how the game is played and developed.

“The awards take place every year and Staffordshire FA are already looking forward to celebrating clubs, leagues, and volunteers successes over the 2017-18 season. Nominations open in February each year and can be made via the Staffordshire FA website.

“Staffordshire FA would like to wish everybody the best of luck for the coming season, and would also like to remind the Staffordshire football community that they are always willing to help and support clubs, leagues and volunteers wherever possible."

Images courtesy of Kidsgrove Athletic

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