When a coach at Millmoor Ladies FC noticed all the parents on the touchline looking at their phones, while their kids played football, she was determined to do something about it.
She spoke to her chairman and set up some bootstyle activity classes for parents, that ran alongside the footballing sessions for their children. It was designed to get parents active and more involved with their local club.
Numbers were small at first, but word soon spread. More mums joined in and the sessions moved from just about being active to playing and learning more about football.
Now, there is a group of more than 40 parents who regularly attend the sessions. Instead of being on their phones they are all chatting to each other and playing football.
One parent commented: “‘It’s definitely helped me to keep up with the kids a lot more. I feel like I can get involved and chase them round before or after a game now. Mine are non-stop, so I definitely used to try and avoid it, but now, I just jump over barrier and I’m running around after them. It’s great.”
It has been a win-win for the coach who says the parents are now much more engaged with the club as a whole. One parent has even gone on to become the clubs’ welfare officer.
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