Author: afcunity

Solidarity Soccer is our innovative community based football training initiative for women which has empowerment, skill sharing and a personalised approach shaping it.

We spoke to regular Solidarity Soccer attendee April Worrall about her experiences of Solidarity Soccer, and what kind of impact it has had on and off the pitch – April has won the Teamwork Digital Award and has been a key part of our Tuesday Solidarity Soccer session.

AFC Unity: In a few words, how would you describe Solidarity Soccer to someone who hasn’t been?
April: It’s a fun weekly event where you can join other women to learn football skills and play football.

AFC Unity: What would you say to someone who hasn’t been to Solidarity Soccer if you wanted them to come along?
April: Switch off your TV or phone and come and join me and others enjoying playing football‎ and learning new skills. It will make you feel better all round.

AFC Unity: Do you have any stories that stand out from your time of being involved in Solidarity Soccer?
April: I’ve met some really nice people who have managed to recapture during the sessions, what I fondly remember football was like for me as a child. Fun and rewarding working with a team who are supportive‎ throughout. I had been looking for a session like this for a while and glad I have found one close to home.

AFC Unity: Has Solidarity Soccer had an impact on your outside football life?
April: Yes, it’s encouraged me to do more exercise as I was starting to believe sitting down was a sport at one point. It’s also helped me whilst re-training in a new job as the exercise has helped manage stress better.

AFC Unity: If you could pick one word to describe Solidarity Soccer what would it be?
April: Enjoyable.

AFC Unity: What has been your favourite skill to learn and why?
April: I’ve enjoyed learning the 360 degree turn, which has taken a lot of practice. It makes my game more entertaining even though it makes me a tad dizzy.

AFC Unity: Anything else to add?
April: Thanks to all at Solidarity Soccer and if you’re thinking about taking up a sport then try Solidarity Soccer…you won’t regret it!

by Sam Holmes

In this day and age, it is rather difficult to maintain a set of morals within football. With the constant media pressure, any player’s antics are captured and reported about within minutes. Every nightclub squabble, training bust-up or driving fine seems to be applied to a player on a weekly basis. Of course, sometimes players do not respond in the most positive of ways. Some even forget how they act as role models for young players across the world.

This shortage of genuine footballing heroes, many of whom receive considerably less media attention than the less well-behaved amongst them, proves worrying at times. The constant misbehaviour often transfers through to Sunday league, with abusive language towards referees or supporters unfortunately being as commonplace as goals at times. It can be demoralising watching or playing for a local side, and having to witness such negativity.

Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to experience a team that refuses to be tarred with the same brush, so to speak. AFC Unity pride themselves on being ‘an alternative football club for women’. There is no room for criticism within the group, and rightly so. It is purely about being a team – win, lose or draw.

This mentality, rarely seen in the modern game, has brought about the right results. Their sheer dedication to contributing as a team resulted in a mid-table finish in Division 2 of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Women’s County Football League. This was undoubtedly extremely respectable, considering it was the squad’s debut in the second division. They built a sort of fortress at home, losing only twice as hosts throughout the campaign, one of which came against eventual runners-up: Edlington Royals.

AFC Unity were founded in 2014, which highlights just how successful they have been. To climb into a higher league and establish stability and consistent results within two years was not only impressive, it was attractive. The high interest in the side led to a long list of applicants, each hoping to represent the team. This, in turn, formed the second-team. AFC Unity Jets’ formation, whose name stems from ‘suffragettes’, highlighted how an initial squad bursting with confidence, yet encouragement for one another, could lead to other women wanting to play football.

Players of all ages, each with differing levels of experience of the beautiful game, now represent the teams. The expansion saw form drop somewhat this season, however with long-established sides such as Sheffield United Reserves competing, there is certainly no negativity. There is no reason to be pessimistic, as high morale within the team has rewarded them in past seasons.

Co-founders Jay Baker and Jane Watkinson are confident that, once the injured return and younger players adapt to playing at a higher level, the goals will start coming. Maintaining the team chemistry appears to be a vital method of yielding results. Jay, who is also first team manager, told his side the following during training:

“Whatever reason you first started playing football…that is why you want to play on Sunday”.

This quote perfectly defines the whole club, and again contrasts to the ideologies of today’s footballing powerhouses. Nowadays, the so-called ‘stars’ of world football often seem to lose sight of the main reason for playing football. It shouldn’t merely be a way of acquiring a mansion or the newest supercar. There should be passion on the pitch. Often, a bad challenge is regarded as passion. This common misconception again suggests that football has lost its way.

Football, at least at the highest level, seems to involve criticism constantly. The media critique players, the players blast managers, and the managers roast referees. The cycle continues. Therefore, it is so refreshing to see a team with a differing outlook. AFC Unity ignore all unconstructiveness associated with football. They boast a football philosophy concerned with inclusivity and fair play.

They are, simply put, a remarkable team.

Photo credits: Yin-Hsuan Yiang and Kate Fenton-Jarvis

Everyone at AFC Unity has worked so hard to make the Football for Food campaign such a continuing success.

It is with great pleasure that we can announce that AFC Unity have agreed to support the Sheffield Needs a Pay Rise Campaign.

The campaign is building towards a demonstration in Sheffield City Centre on Saturday 17th of December at 1pm on Devonshire Green to which as many AFC Unity representatives as possible are welcomed to come, with kits, tracksuits, scarves, beanies and badges all on show!

With low wages being one of the driving reasons behind people finding themselves in food poverty, it is really important to understand and tackle these travesties. Politics affects all of us every day, whether we choose to engage or not; it affects the prices of goods in the shops, the wages and security of the jobs that are available to us. But this is not a passive situation. We can all choose if and how we try to influence these things.

Many of us will be affected by the low waged economy we see today – it may be us or a member of our household who is on low wages and vulnerable contracts. And a low waged household may have to find places to buy low cost goods, which is likely to be a place paying low wages, and so the cycle continues.

If we can start to challenge the reliance on low waged jobs in some of our high street companies – which, let’s remember, will likely be generating large profits – we can start making a change for the fairer to how our communities operate. By engaging with employees and encouraging union organisation in the workplace, and by linking union members across different workplaces people can support each other to take the sometimes difficult and courageous move to gain a voice and some power as employees.

Union membership has already started to make a difference to the shocking conditions exposed in Sports Direct and ASOS factories and made a real difference to people’s working lives. In the fast food industry, many companies in the USA have started to pay a proper living wage due to the organisation of union members in their workplaces.

That can happen here.

So, the Sheffield Needs a Pay Rise campaign is calling out the high street companies, calling for a proper Living Wage for all (not dependent on age) of £10 an hour and calling for union recognition in the workplace.

The campaign chimes with many of the key messages of AFC Unity – Unity (of course!), Empowerment, Solidarity and Teamwork.

In solidarity AFC Unity is planning to offer discounts on some club purchases to union members – more to follow!

We really hope you can join us at the demo on Saturday 17th December and / or can help to publicise the campaign by taking leaflets and following/sharing #Sheff4Ten and @Sheff4Ten on social media.

The campaign will build on the demo and continuing fighting for these aims in 2017 and beyond.

If you want to find out more please or want to get more involved in the campaign, please ask!

We’re in our second season of our Football for Food campaign, following on from a massively successful 5-a-side tournament with talks held alongside it this past summer.

Now it’s the “Season of Giving,” our first team have played all their home games for 2016 – but at the suggestion of Director of Football Sarah Richards and current director and first team co-captain Simone Fenton-Jarvis, inspired by similar initiatives elsewhere, we’re kicking off a club-wide “Reverse Advent Calendar”!

The Reverse Advent Calendar takes us back to the original spirit of the season (and grassroots football itself), with its focus on solidarity, community, and giving back in these capitalist times of consumption.

Those within AFC Unity are invited to grab a box or bag, and each day in the month of December, add a single item of food to it, right up until the 24th, at which point it can be delivered to a local food bank! (Our volunteers can help with this, but it’s sometimes great to go directly, in which case we can connect participants to a food bank nearest to them). Those taking part can use the #FootballForFood hashtag in their social media posts documenting their progress!

Our friends at the Sheffield Food Collective offered a handy list of what might be best to contribute. This can have a massive impact on people’s lives, particularly at this time of year, and is another way of showing that the AFC Unity ethos of collectivism and community is more important than ever.

AFC Unity’s dynamic, all-female Board of Directors is undergoing a reshuffle as the organisation continues to evolve and expand.

Original “Red Star” Olivia Murray started out with AFC Unity on its very first day, first as a player recovering from injuries, before becoming a coach, then Director of Development, and finally Acting Chair of the Board of Directors. Moving away from the city and with a change of career endeavours taking up her time, she is now moving on from AFC Unity after nearly three years of involvement.

Co-founder and fellow director Jane Watkinson said: ‘We’re all so grateful as an organisation and as a board for all Liv did for AFC Unity, and we really wouldn’t be where we are today without her.’

Anna Cordwell and Charlotte Marshall also remain directors, and are joined by Simone Fenton-Jarvis, whose company CFM Limited began a two-year sponsorship deal with AFC Unity that helped to secure its stability, bringing with her a brand-new MBA in Facilities Management and a plethora of qualifications and experience in women’s football, having managed teams in the past, at a time when AFC Unity look to expand further and solidify their presence in the city.

Watkinson added: ‘We’re very excited to welcome Simone onto the board of directors, as she brings with her a wealth of knowledge from her brilliant background and, maybe more importantly, really grasps the ethos of AFC Unity and what we’re trying to do both on and off the pitch, which is crucial at this time.’

The Board are expected to announce major plans for AFC Unity’s expansion in the new year.

Following on from our extraordinary success this year in winning the FA’s national Respect Award, and taking Bronze in Sport England’s Satellite Club of the Year awards, we are proud to announce that AFC Unity have been shortlisted in the category of Most Innovative Organisation for the Sheffield Make a Difference awards from Voluntary Action Sheffield who are arguably Sheffield’s leading non-profit support and advice organisation and are based at The Circle, AFC Unity’s registered office.

The Sheffield Make a Difference awards are being held ‘to celebrate the quiet heroes in the not-for-profit sector who deliver so much benefit for the city.’ The awards are part of marking Voluntary Action Sheffield’s 90th anniversary – and it also marks important anniversaries for two of their sponsors in South Yorkshire Housing Association and South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.

AFC Unity co-founders Jay Baker and Jane Watkinson were filmed on November 4th for an awards night video, and first team co-captains Jane Watkinson and Simone Fenton-Jarvis will be on BBC Radio Sheffield on Tuesday morning, November 22nd, to talk to Rony Robinson about the awards nomination prompted by AFC Unity’s Community Outreach, Eliah Ward.

AFC Unity manager Jay Baker said: ‘We are very pleased to continue to build on our success through further recognition for our dedication towards offering an inclusive, positive environment for women’s football that is geared towards empowerment and community cohesion.’ He added: ‘Being up for this award means a lot to us because it shows our quite different methods are good methods; methods we feel are the way forward.’

Jessica Ennis-Hill will present the awards and winners will be revealed at a prestigious ceremony this Thursday, November 24th, at the Cutlers’ Hall.

Solidarity Soccer is our innovative community based football training initiative for women which has empowerment, skill sharing and a personalised approach shaping it. We have a session running at Hillsborough College, a session based at Concord Sports Centre and another session at Meadowhead School, running weekly – we have plans to expand the initiative into more areas and engage more women in the sport in a unique way.

We spoke to regular Solidarity Soccer attendee Sarah Choonara about her experiences of Solidarity Soccer, and what kind of impact it has had on and off the pitch – Sarah has won the Teamwork Digital Award and is a key defender for the AFC Unity Jets 11-a-side team!

AFC Unity: In a few words, how would you describe Solidarity Soccer to someone who hasn’t been?
Sarah: It’s a unique training session that works really well with players with different levels of experience and confidence so everyone learns and progresses together.

AFC Unity: What would you say to someone who hasn’t been to Solidarity Soccer if you wanted them to come along?
Sarah: You have nothing to lose! You can enjoy it for what it is, use it to progress your football, have fun, try something new, meet Jane and Jay, find out about the AFC Unity set up, it’s a top way to spend an evening!

AFC Unity: Do you have any stories that stand out from your time of being involved in Solidarity Soccer?
Sarah: I forgot the session start time had changed and was a bit early and saw another woman who appeared to be waiting. I asked if she was waiting for the AFC Unity session and she said she wasn’t but asked what it was. It didn’t take much persuading for her to cancel her lift, join the session and take information about other Solidarity Soccer sessions in her area!

AFC Unity: Has Solidarity Soccer had an impact on your outside football life?
Sarah: Yes – I’m fitter and I’m proud I’ve tried new things. It’s also really good spending time chatting on the bus, in the car and between activities with players I wouldn’t get to know otherwise, and consolidating friendships with team mates I do play with more.

AFC Unity: Has Solidarity Soccer helped you with 11-a-side football at all?
Sarah: Yes – my 11-a-side experience is just starting so I’m not quite employing flicks and tricks yet but the small sided game time with more experienced players gives me great opportunity to work on areas of my game I feel need a boost. The master classes are also excellent as you are encouraged to try things you may never have focused on before in a supportive environment which really helps.

AFC Unity: If you could pick one word to describe Solidarity Soccer what would it be?
Sarah: Inclusive

AFC Unity: What has been your favourite skill to learn and why?
Sarah: The Cruyff Turn as it was the first skill we learned and it encapsulated the whole ethos of Solidarity Soccer about football being for everyone. This beautiful, creative, world class move is there for everyone to try…..in our first session!!

AFC Unity: Anything else to add?
Sarah: The Sport England’s Satellite Club of the Year nomination was brilliant recognition for all the thought, dedication and hard work that has gone in to creating and developing Solidarity Soccer. I’m so pleased women’s football in Sheffield has this wonderful provision for us to enjoy and hopefully inspire others. Many thanks AFC Unity!!!!

Solidarity Soccer is our innovative community based football training initiative for women which has empowerment, skill sharing and a personalised approach shaping it. We have a session running at Hillsborough College, a session based at Concord Sports Centre and another session at Meadowhead School, running weekly – we have plans to expand the initiative into more areas and engage more women in the sport in a unique way.

We spoke to regular Solidarity Soccer attendee Becky Rayner about her experiences of Solidarity Soccer, and what kind of impact it has had on and off the pitch – Becky has won the Teamwork Digital Award and has recently become part of the AFC Unity 11-a-side team after getting back into and reconnecting with the sport via Solidarity Soccer!

AFC Unity: In a few words, how would you describe Solidarity Soccer to someone who hasn’t been?
Becky: It’s an innovative football programme that engages women of all abilities.  The sessions focus on specific skills each month so that players can develop and learn new skills. It’s non committal and very fun and brings the community together. 

AFC Unity: What would you say to someone who hasn’t been to Solidarity Soccer if you wanted them to come along?
Becky: Come along and give it a go – the welcoming atmosphere makes you feel part of the Unity family regardless of ability. These sessions bring back what football is all about – teamwork, development, fun, positivity and friendships. 

AFC Unity: Do you have any stories that stand out from your time of being involved in Solidarity Soccer?
Becky: What stands out for me is the fact that Solidarity has reminded me why I fell in love with the sport to begin with. Also the encouragement from everyone to join the 11-a-side team was really overwhelming and inspiring. It’s a decision I have not looked back at.

AFC Unity: Has Solidarity Soccer had an impact on your outside football life?
Becky: Solidarity has given me a work life balance.

AFC Unity: Has Solidarity Soccer helped you with 11-a-side football at all?
Becky: Absolutely – Solidarity was the foundation for me to progress into 11-a-side football. It also set a precedent about the club i.e the ethos and values. You cannot win a game with 11 individuals. You can only win as one team, united under a common purpose, drive and passion. 

AFC Unity: If you could pick one word to describe Solidarity Soccer what would it be?
Becky: Inspirational

AFC Unity: Anything else to add?
Becky: I have lots of positive memories but if I was pushed to pick one it would be my first 11-a-side match against Mexborough. Even though we lost the team stuck together and gave everything until the end. #UNITY