Somerset FA celebrates grassroots football in Frome.
Somerset Football Association held its annual ‘County Awards Evening’ on Thursday 16th November at Huish Park Stadium, the home of Yeovil Town FC. The evening was an opportunity for Somerset FA to recognise and reward outstanding contributions and achievements to football from Leagues, Clubs and Volunteers within Somerset from the 22/23 Season.
With around 110 people in attendance, the evening was formally opened by Somerset FA Chairman Phil Chaplin with special guests on the evening including Somerset FA’s Board of Directors as well as Yeovil Town Owner Martin Hellier and First Team Captain Josh Staunton.
Football in Frome featured fantastically well on the evening, receiving two awards;
The Weetabix Wildcats Centre of the year was awarded to Frome Town United.
The wildcats were originally started in 2017 by Sarah Davis and Chris Wilkinson, and at the time was one of the first in the Country. There are now 37 and Ben Bolland (Head of Girls Football at Frome Town United) and his team have made it number one for the 2nd time its 6 year history.
Frome Town United and the Wildcats team would like to thank every coach and player who has helped create the fantastic girls and women's football set up in Frome
Chris Wilkinson (Secretary) Lee Seviour (Co-Chair) & Ben Bolland (Head of Girls Football) from Frome Town United collecting the award on behalf of FTU Wildcats..
The second award of the evening was· Grassroots Coach of the Year for the Female Pathway which was awarded to Ben Bolland
In presenting the awards to Ben Somerset FA Director, Carrie-Anne Morgan said
“Grassroots Coach of the Year for the Female Pathway goes to a coach who has worked tirelessly to grow the women’s game in Frome. He runs the Weetabix Wildcats Centre of the year, coaches several girls age groups and is Head of Girls Football at Frome Town United which has seen a significant growth over the past few seasons with participation more than doubling across all age groups.
As well as all of this, Ben also Manages and is Head Coach at Frome Town Women. Since his involvement, the team have made huge strides on and off the pitch, particularly their involvement in the local community.
The impact that Ben has made on Women and Girls football in Frome has meant that hundreds of girls have been given the opportunity to get involved in the game. The amount of time and huge amount of volunteering hours he dedicates to football in Frome on a weekly basis deserves to be recognised.”
Ben has been instrumental in providing strategic leadership and the collaborative bridge between Frome Town United and Frome Town Women to develop a dedicated pathway for female football at Frome from the age of 6 all the way through to adult football.
Ben’s dedication and commitment to female football (and football more widely in Frome) is incredible and Ben spends almost all of his 'spare time' organising, coaching, managing, mentoring, developing, helping - and working very hard to improve and provide football at grassroots level. He is a largely unsung superhero who knuckles down and gets on with it and deserves to be recognised for the sheer amount of hard work he gives to the club, to female football and to the community.
Ben is an incredibly patient and dedicated football coach and manager, passionately and generously delivering and developing football at Frome. Ben is a hugely calming influence, is extremely welcoming and enables female football to be accessible, fun and inclusive through a female football pathway that spans two clubs. He provides a clear vision to those he manages and coaches and has a genuine and positive attitude.
Somerset FA Chief Executive Jon Pike added “I would like to congratulate all the winners on their thoroughly deserved awards. Every year the standard of our winners seems to get higher, which is a great testament to our grassroots volunteer workforce. Those volunteers, who give of their time and effort freely, are the greatest strength of the game in Somerset. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of them for what they do”
This week’s match preview from Ryan Atkins, Matchday Assistant:
Frome Town Women vs Royal Wootton Bassett Ladies
Frome Town Women Host Royal Wootton Bassett in the South West Regional Women’s League.
After last week's weather led postponement, Frome will be looking to build on our previous well deserved 3-2 win over Shaftesbury, with another 3 points on Sunday.
Having beaten us earlier in the season, FTW have strengthened our squad and after a noticeable improvement performance are forward to hosting Royal Wootton Bassett at home this time around.
Please come along to Badgers Hill on 26th November (2pm kick off) to support the team as they look to make it back to back wins in the league and at home.
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