About Ridgewaye FC

 

Club History and Résumé

 Based in Southborough, and in our 16th official year, Ridgewaye is one of the leading local youth teams with membership in 2010 of around 320 registered players with a buoyant “Mini” section currently boasting around an additional 40 members managed by, and in association with “First Class Football”.

 We were one of the first clubs in the Tunbridge Wells/Tonbridge area to gain the FA Charter Standard Development Club Award. This demonstrates the level of coaching quality (the FA Junior Team Managers Levels one & two), administration and a full child protection policy.

The club began out of parents concern about the lack of sport in school and the lack of opportunities for children to get involved in football. Consequently, a group of parents decided to do something about it. It began with a few children having a friendly kick about on a Saturday morning under the watchful eye of a couple of dads but in no time at all these kickabouts attracted large numbers of children. With the increase in numbers Yew Tree Road, where they played, was not big enough so they started to use Barnett's field but when the Ridgewaye playing field became available the club moved. Those who took the lead in the early days were Bill Boyd and Bill Hodges and they were soon joined by Dave Cooper and Gerry Murphy, who worked with a squad through all age groups. Dave Lott and Kenny Pilbeam joined next. The membership and coaching group continued to expand and this model of 'keen' dads (& mums!) becoming coaches and helpers as their children join the club has continued.

The club was formally registered in 1995 and named Ridgewaye Sweepers in attempt to combine Ridgewaye, the name of the pitch location in Southborough with Sweepers to represent those who came from the High Brooms area. The club applied to join the Crowborough and District Junior Football League, was accepted and have entered more teams each year. The League effectively covers a corridor from Sevenoaks in the north, East Grinstead in the west, East Peckham and Paddock Wood in the east and down through Crowborough and Jarvis Brook to Bexhill, Hastings, Hailsham & Eastbourne.

The club caters for junior football for all ages between 5 to 18 and has rapidly developed a girls section. This has flourished since inception in 2003 and at the moment has around 60 girls playing regularly and the club currently competes at Under 11 Under 13, u 14 and U18 in the Kent Girls & Ladies Football League .

We are currently, in association with First Class Football, and with support from the Football Foundation, embarking on a three year plan to recruit and develop U8 / U9 girl’s teams. This should enable us to offer a constant supply of Girls teams for the Future! 

This increase in girl players also proved a catalyst for other developments such as the redevelopment of the old school gym at the Ridgewaye Centre to provide additional changing facilities, toilets, a small indoor training area and a club café and shop on Saturday mornings. This was made possible by a combination of fund-raising, grants, and time and efforts of club members.

This project has been overseen by the Club Committee, consisting of 12 members who meet on a monthly basis to discuss financial, social, FA and playing matters. Coaches are also invited to raise and discuss any issues they may have. The coaches also have their own meetings when practical to discuss and exchange ideas on playing and training issues.

There is also a disciplinary panel who meet when there is a breach of club rules or any incident involving any player from the club during matches. The Committee also looks to develop and protect club interests and on a day to day level is involved with issues ranging from granting bursaries for players who cannot afford the annual membership fees, liaising with the council and others over relevant issues.

 During the past five years we have, in association with Kent Football Association, held training courses for Referee’s, Level 1 Coaching, Child Protection Workshops and First Aid courses etc.

 One current concern is the future of the Ridgewaye playing fields, given the prospects of the 'Hub' development and consequently ensuring there will be sufficient 'safe' playing space for the club's boys and girls.

To improve communication the club's coaches are encouraged to produce a regular newsletter at their respective age groups and Ridgewaye has developed a new web-site “ ridgewaye.co.uk”

The Club endeavours to promote 'football for all' as it's ethos but this has not prevented many of our teams winning their Leagues in recent seasons and also achieving a great deal of success in the various Spring & Summer tournaments over the years.

The club has now grown to a size that we now have our own football strip manufactured for us along with product for our own club shop!

On, or around, the third week of June, the club hosts its “annual tournament” which attracts teams from Kent, Sussex, and Surrey & Essex. None of this would be possible without everyone at the club working so very hard to achieve this, and the signs for the future on the playing front remain extremely encouraging. Each year, the success of the tournament has been moved from strength-to-strength, with an estimated five thousand players, parents and supporters attending over the two days, despite England playing in the World Cup!

The 2011 event is scheduled to be slightly larger and to include our blossoming additional girls teams.

Every year since the club’s formation the number of children coming to play football has increased and this only happens because of the large number of people who are willing to give of their time and skills freely.