Hard work and big smiles – fostering positive development in youth football
SWF’s youth leagues cover the entire country and provide a competitive environment for girls to play from 12 to 18.
Our hardworking team work diligently running the competitions in which all these girls play, supporting clubs to challenge and nurture young players in equal measure.
Heather Jackson covers the East and South East regions while Max Cole covers the West and South West regions, and both have been busy with the youth cup finals.
Heather has also spent time to visit clubs and hear from them:
“Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting clubs across the South East Region, starting with a fantastic trip to Spartans to meet with their 14s Clelland team. I was genuinely impressed by the training setup for the 12s and 14s — the effort and energy from every player was brilliant to see. Even better, I was lucky enough to jump in for a drill or two with the 14s teams. Let’s just say… they didn’t hold back, and I was well and truly put through my paces! I left the session feeling very inspired by these girls, their passion, commitment and enjoyment of the game.
“A few weeks later, I made a second trip to Edinburgh to meet the 2014s squad from Boroughmuir Thistle. What a group! These girls brought enthusiasm, passion, and talent in abundance. I had the chance to watch them in action as they prepared for an upcoming league game, and it was clear they’re not just focused on results, they’re genuinely committed to developing their skills and loving every minute of it. Hard work and big smiles? That’s the winning combination right there. The fun these girls had during their training session is something I hope they bring to each session they take part in for the duration of their footballing journey.
“Both visits provided valuable, positive feedback on league performance, team development, and the progression pathways for the next few years — insights that are incredibly useful to take forward. A huge thank you to both clubs for opening their doors, inviting me to training, and giving me the chance to meet the players. The passion at grassroots level? Alive and well! And of course, massive credit to the coaches and staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep these clubs thriving.
“Alongside club visits, I’ve also been out watching matches across the region including an exciting League Cup Semi-Final between Melrose 16s and Castlevale 16s. A highly passionate game that went all the way to penalties after a nail-biting 80 minutes. Drama at its finest!
“The South East League Cup Finals took place on 13th June, and what a day it was fantastic football, thrilling games, lots of wind and even a club derby to top end the day. Every season, I’m impressed by the quality and professionalism on display from players across the region. Here’s hoping that continues for the remainder of the season! A huge well done to all trams across the region for an exciting cup run across all cups…until next season.
“Finally a huge congratulations to the Spartans U10/12s who are the first girls Scottish team to win the Blackpool Cup and the Plate competitions. Spartans took two teams down to Blackpool this year, a word from the coach:
“We’re all so proud of the girls, they gave everything over the weekend and came away deserved winners. A fantastic experience on and off the pitch, and one we’d highly recommend to more Scottish teams. Roll on next year!”
“Well done to all the players: Emmie, Bonnie, Autumn, Alexis, Beatrice, Jessie, Jorgie, Maria, Aniyah, Keeva, Amily, Islay, Kayla and Ivy!”
