Nottingham Forest LFC tell us about their aspirations and preparations for their 25th years of girls’ and women’s football.
In the light of the recent success of the England Women’s team who reached a record breaking third place spot in
the Women’s World Cup, it is poignant to acknowledge that Nottingham’s oldest women’s and girls’ club, Nottingham
Forest Ladies, who are celebrating their 25th season for 2015 and 2016 alongside a surge in interest in the female game.
Nottingham Forest Ladies were formed in the 1990-1991 season by the Nottingham Forest in the Community Scheme. Since that time the club has seen a variety of challenges that has ultimately developed into a club with 11 teams going into the 2015/16 season.
With the Senior 1st Team and Reserve Teams both playing at the highest level in the FA Women’s’ Winter League, the
club is preparing for a successful season by enhancing the coaching and management teams. With 9 junior age groups from U-9s through to U-18s and two senior teams, it is important to ensure all volunteer staff still meet FA Charter Standard Criteria.
Club Chairperson, PJ Andrews reflects on closed season activity:
“It has been full on for all involved but the jigsaw is finally coming together. We are especially delighted to announce that Sam Winch is joining the 1st team management. Steve Stennett was pivotal in the recruitment but Sam has been embraced by all in the Club due to his credentials and positivity shown so far.
Pre-season has seen investment by the Club for the senior squad to ensure that the First and Senior Reserves team players are now working for another extremely challenging competitive phase. The FAWPL gives a challenge to players and coaching staff and all are now embellished in activity for best effect. The training is well under way, with fitness, strength and conditioning work provided by the highly qualified ‘One Athlete’ team – a locally based unit who are working the players hard. This aspect combined with FA UEFA A licence Coaching delivery from Steve Stennett is already paying dividend.
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Pictured: Sam Winch (left) and Steve Stennett (right) of Nottingham Forest Ladies FC
Our emphasis though has been on recruitment of calibre volunteer resource for the club which is not an easy task. But both the Seniors and juniors are looking good with an element of diverse management and coaching expertise and this has been overseen by our Junior Development Manager and Technical Director to best effect. We are sorry to have lost a couple of personnel during the closed season but recent recruitment for both staff and players shows we are in a stronger position for this pre-season and the hopes are equally as high as the effort.”
Steve Stennett, NFLFC Technical Director of Football and Head Coach of the Seniors comments:
“Pre-season is also an opportunity for the senior players to meet up with some friendly faces from last season and also to meet and get to know the new signings and additions to the senior squad and to start the bonding and team building process which supports the cohesion and confidence of the team as it approaches the start of the season.
Our vision as a club is to produce technically excellent and innovative players with exceptional decision making skills, to create an environment where our players are encouraged to be creative and express themselves; to produce a solid foundation of technical skills and game understanding all designed to help our players reach their full potential.
The aspirations of the First Team never falters as well as trying to be the best we can possibly be in terms of individually and collectively it’s a team who are always looking ahead to the long term goals which every aspiring team/club need to continue to build and develop and that is to reach the highest levels of recognition and investment. Our thread of emotion though is about Pride, Passion and Belief – to ensure we go into every game the most committed with a greater desire to achieve and with a harder work ethic than the opposition
We are fiercely proud of what we as a club have achieved this far and we now look forward to challenging ourselves once again to maintain and improve upon those already high standards. The FAWPL is an exciting and professional league and our desire is to continue to provide the highest standards of coaching and support along with a clear focus and vision of where we want to be.”
Pictured: Steve Stennett (left) and Sam Winch (right) with the tournament squad for the Nottingham Cup.
Stennett has been working with Sam Winch over the past weeks and the partnership shows promise going forward. Stennett says: ‘As the Technical Director of Football and Head Coach of NFLFC, I would like to Welcome Sam Winch to the club, Sam brings experience and knowledge with him around the women’s game and FA UEFA B Licence credibility also. His recent role at Radcliffe Olympic saw a successful 2014/15 season with the team winning the Nottinghamshire County Cup and finishing a respectful third in the FAWPL Midland Division 1, the division below where Forest currently play. Sam will without doubt add value to this Nottingham Forest management team and I for one look forward to working with him this coming season”
Sam is equally enthusiastic and says:
“It is a great opportunity to take on the job as manager of NFLFC and something I have wanted to fulfil since getting into management many years ago. There are a lot of great clubs in the FAWPL whose ambitions lie in the desire to be a part of the WSL league, but I’m not the type of manager to shirk away from a challenge and NFLFC are no different. I aim to help in improving these players as individuals and enhance the brand of football already in place that excites our fans and helps bring in new ones. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the senior squad/backroom staff and our future opponents the best of luck and look forward to the new season at NFLFC.”
Forest Ladies are immediately looking to recruit and enhance coaching and management staff for the Senior Reserves – who play at the highest level in the Winter League. To progress discussion for the senior coaching and management roles, please contact Stephen Stennett on 07946433376 or email the Club secretary: fay.glover@nottinghamforestladies.co.uk.
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