YOUTH FOOTBALL: New disabled team could be set for competitive action (From Swindon Advertiser)

YOUTH FOOTBALL: New disabled team could be set for competitive action

6:00am Saturday 27th October 2012 in Sport By Ned Payne

Highworth Town Juniors chairman Mark Collett says the club could have a disability team ready to play competitive football as early as next season.

The Elms-based club recently set up training sessions for disabled children, which incorporate all disabilities except for wheelchair users.

Children aged 12-16 from September 2012 can take part and Collett hopes that the sessions will allow a fully-fledged competitive side to develop by next year.

They could theoretically take on teams from Chippenham and Salisbury, the only two other disabled sides in Wiltshire.

“As we’re a community club and one of the largest in the area, the Wilts FA felt we were ideal to go forward with a disability section,” explained Collett.

“It was something I had been trying to get going for a little while so I was quite keen to follow it through.

“The idea is to offer a facility where children can play football and enjoy themselves, but also to set up some sort of team from the start of next season, to play Chippenham and Salisbury.

“We could try to even get a mini-league set up and we could play each other every couple of months.

“We don’t have anyone qualified to coach them at the moment, but the Wilts FA are helping us out with a coach for the interim period while we get a coach qualified ourselves.

“There’s already someone at the club who is very keen to take it on.”

Training sessions are on a Saturday morning. For more information visit www.highworthjuniorsfc.co.uk or phone Collett on 07759 210290.

Highworth Juniors recently held an open day which included a crossbar challenge and bouncy castles, while new main sponsors Skurrays were also present.

Collett added: “This was our first open day and it seemed to be enjoyed by all those who attended.

“We wanted to put something together for all our members and families to enjoy and the open day idea seems to have gone down well with everyone.”