After School Football Club at QMC for 14-16 Year Olds Proves to be a Hit!

Club QM is an after school satellite football club that was piloted at Queen Mary’s College to engage with 14-16 year olds from local secondary schools. Students from two local schools were offered the opportunity to access the College’s pitch for 90 minutes after school on a Tuesday over a four week period from 19th June - 10th July. The pitch was opened up and footballs were provided and it was up to the students to dictate how the sessions were run.

The Club was set up with the support of QMC, School Games Organiser Phil Jeffs and Hampshire FA. The facilities and equipment were provided by QMC, Phil Jeffs acted as a point of contact at the secondary schools and Hampshire FA helped to staff and affiliate Club QM to ensure that all insurance and safeguarding processes were adhered to. Sessions were overseen by College and Community Football Coordinator (CCFC), Dan Greenwood, and were run by volunteers from the College.

The pilot was attended by 33 students from Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College and Costello School, and as of September will be opened up to more secondary schools to increase the number of participants and offer more opportunities. The Club will also be open to females to allow a platform for female provision in this demographic.

The pilot was deemed successful due to the higher than expected attendance numbers, and as such the College has decided to carry it on into a fully run project.

If you’re a secondary school teacher and you’re interested in your students attending Club QM, please email daniel.greenwood@qmc.ac.uk