BOOTHAM Futsal Club has become the sport’s first to gain FA Charter status in the North Riding.

The award is a kite mark of excellence for clubs, showing they have achieved a high standard in all areas from coaching qualifications, child safeguarding to organisation and club structure.

Bootham started off with just ten girls on their formation little more than a year ago, but now cater for treble that number and have plans to enter a team in the Women’s FA Cup qualifiers next season.

Expressing his pride at achieving Charter status in the small-sided indoor version of football, head coach Chris Collins said: “We are delighted, and it is testament to all the hard work that goes on week in, week out behind the scenes. When we established the club, we never expected the amazing support we would receive from the players and parents of York and the surrounding area.

“We want to continue to develop the club at all age groups, but especially with the younger ones, because we need to get the girls to fall in love with this game and keep them playing for many years.

“We would like to thank Donna Crowthers at North Riding County FA for all her amazing and continued support, Laura Young at North Yorkshire Sports, without whom we wouldn’t be here, and finally Rebecca Lee-Bursnall at St Peter’s School for providing an outstanding facility.

“We are also humbled by the distance some parents bring their children every single week. It is simply amazing.’

North Riding FA’s football development officer Crowthers added: “I’m so pleased that Bootham Futsal Club has received the Charter Standard award. Over the past 12 months, Chris and the other volunteers have worked tirelessly to put everything in place to ensure there is a safe and positive environment for the girls.

“The fact that they are purely a futsal club who wanted to get this award on their own merit is amazing and it offers something slightly different for females in the area. Clubs like Bootham Futsal are vital if The FA is going to achieve its goal of making futsal the number-one indoor game for young people.

“We’re proud to have such a fantastic club within our region and will continue to work with them to ensure they go from strength-to-strength in the coming years.”

The club still have a few places left to fill at each age group and anybody interested in taking up the sport can contact Chris Collins on 07720 441953 or email info@procoachingacademy.co.uk

To find out more about futsal, meanwhile, visit www.northridingfa.com/players/ways-to-play/futsal or email Support@NorthRidingFA.com