FA Mars Just Play Awards

The Just Play programme is an adult football participation programme

designed to break down barriers to participation by providing fun and

accessible football organised by qualified coaches at 300 Centres around

the country.

The programme is now into its 5th year and in 2013 we set a target to provide

1 million opportunities to Just Play by 2017 weve already hit that number, 2 years ahead of schedule!

In order to celebrate the programme Mars launched the FA Mars Just Play

Awards, and last night we hosted the first awards ceremony to showcase the

passionate teams and communities behind the Just Play sessions.

It was a really heart-warming evening with some genuine heroes of the

game, who otherwise would not be recognised for what they do for their

local communities.

Entering any or all of the four awards categories was simple local Just Play Centers were asked to provide a few words about what theyve been up to and what theyre proud of. There four categories were:

Just Play Centre of the Year: Recognising an established or up-and-

coming Just Play Centre that is making a real effort to encourage

adults back into football

Just Player of the Year: Celebrating an individual that brings the game

alive and acts as a role model to others; their passion and

determination for football shines through, on and off the pitch

Just Play Organiser of the Year: Rewarding an organizer with the

commitment and drive to make their centre a success; their energy

and encouragement to get adults into football is second to none

Just Play Legacy Award: This award recognises an individual, team or

Just Play centre that has successfully addressed the needs of their local

community and/or made a lasting contribution to encouraging

healthy, active lifestyles. This award ultimately recognises the

outstanding contribution of an individual, team or Just Play centre to

the local community, its cohesion, its confidence and its environment.

And the winners are.

Legacy Award Finalists

Cottingham Rangers Walking Football

Originally set up by East Riding County FA and East Riding County Council,

the Cottingham Just Play walking football session was the first of its kind in the

region with the aim to tackle the growing demand for walking football in the

area.

Since it started back in May 2014, the walking football session has come a

long way and over the last 7 months the County FA has been working with

local Community Club, Cottingham Rangers, with the aim of the club taking

over the running of the session and adopting it as their own. The session is

now run by three regular attendees on behalf of Cottingham Rangers, with

the club recently holding its first ever walking football festival.

As the first ever walking football session in the region aimed at people aged

50+ it has played a major role in improving the mental and physical wellbeing

of many adults across the area. Many individuals have commented on how

taking part in the session has helped with losing weight, stopping smoking and

their general wellbeing. The success and media coverage of Cottingham

Ranger Walking Football has encouraged three new walking football sessions

to start up.

Just Play Player of the Year Award Finalists

Chloe Beadle, Aldecar, Nottingham

Chloe Beadle has been a member of her local Just Play centre, based at

Aldercar Community Language College, for 18 months. The centre opened its

first female futsal taster session a fast-paced, small sided variation of football

in November 2013 in partnership with Derby County Community Trusts

Premier League 4 Sport funding and Derbyshire FA, with a goal of addressing

the lack of opportunities for women to play football. Through her involvement

with Just Play, Chloe has personally gained confidence in her social skills and

has encouraged others to get involved in the sport with her boundless

enthusiasm.

Just Play Organiser of the Year Award Finalists

Jaden Cameron, Brixton Friday Night Futsal

Jaden Cameron heads up Brixton Friday Night Futsal, which takes place

every Friday evening between 8-9pm in the heart of Brixton, South London.

Jaden has been organising the sessions since September, on a purely

voluntarily basis, helping adults between the ages of 16-22 get off the streets

to play futsal instead. Sessions are run in conjunction with Lambeth Council

and GLL, attracting a turnout of between 15-25 players each week. At just

twenty-years-old, Jadens dedication and contribution to the local Just Play

centre has been unprecedented - organising sessions, friendly tournaments

and providing ongoing support to the participants.

Just Play Centre of the Year Finalists

Kennington Womens Session

Kenningtons Just Play Centre opened back in November 2013, in order to

offer women in London the opportunity to give football a try in a fun and

comfortable environment. Since its introduction, the sessions have gone from

strength to strength, drawing in between 15-18 participants per week every

Thursday evening, attracting females of all ages. Sessions are generally aimed

at beginners, but as it stands, over 20 individuals have gone on to join local

grassroots clubs. Kennington has also set up a Futsal session, and has since

entered a number of Female Futsal Festivals at London South Bank University.

Kennington Park has truly become a hub for womens football across central

London.