Winners recognised for going extra mile

GOING the extra mile has been recognised in the Grassroots Football Awards 2023.

The winners of this year’s Suffolk awards have been cited by nominees for their commitment in going above and beyond.

Winners include Jeremy Birt of Stowupland Falcons FC, who won the New Volunteer of the Year category.

He has supported the formation of the first truly mixed Under-9 team at the club as not only parent representative but cutting and marking the pitch as well as signing up for coaching, safeguarding and referee courses.

Riley Barber of Beccles Town Youth FC scooped the Young Volunteer of The Year award. Riley, who has dyspraxia, jumped at the chance to assist with coaching the club’s Under-7 Hornets.

He has since added his support to the club’s Wildcats programme as well as their Girls’ U9 and U13 sessions and is proving a fine referee after completing his Referees’ Course.

Casey Arowosafe of Hope Church FC is the winner of the Positive Football Environment Award, underpinning the club’s ethos of Respect, and his leadership skills have been a great example to younger members of the team.

Jessica Marriott won the Grassroots Match Official of the Year for a second season running and Lee Smith of Wot’s Up Warriors FC the Coach of Year Disability Pathway award, a year after winning the Adult Grassroots Coach of the Year category.

Chris Collings of Ipswich Exiles FC won the hotly-contested Coach of the Year Male Pathway award and Richard Davey of Coplestonians FC the new Coach of the Year Female Pathway category.

The Suffolk FA Wot’s Up Disability League pipped the Norfolk & Suffolk Youth Football League, last year’s winners, to the Grassroots League of the Year award.

The Grassroots Club of the Year went to Halesworth Town Youth FC.

The Judging Panel was led by Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Matt Stebbings and included the following:

Matt Stebbings, Suffolk FA Football Development Manager

Kerri Stephensson, McDonald’s Group Culture & Wellbeing Manager

Eddie May, Suffolk FA Non-Executive Director

Dave Theobald, Suffolk FA Council Member

James Payne, Active Suffolk Senior Development Officer

Lee Smith, Grassroots Coach of the Year Adults 2022 winner

Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Matt Stebbings said: “Once again, the standard of nominations was incredibly high. The judging panel had to make some very tough decisions for our worthy winners.

“This goes without saying as the panel also awarded a record number of highly commended nominees where we felt only just missed out and deserved recognition for their services to football.

“Thanks again to all those that took the time out of their busy lives to nominate, I look forward to seeing all the winners at the Awards Ceremony.”

Details of the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony will be announced in due course.

All the Suffolk winners now go forward to be judged against other County FA winners to find the national winner in each category.

Grassroots Football Awards Roll of Honour 2023

Young Volunteer of The Year

Winner: Riley Barber (Beccles Town Youth FC)

Highly Commended: Isaac Mennie (AFC Sudbury) & Conner Leatherby (Ipswich Town FC Frame Football)

Positive Football Environment Award

Winner: Casey Arowosafe (Hope Church FC)

Highly Commended: Sharon Rawlinson (Burnt Hill Rockets FC)

Grassroots New Volunteer of the Year

Winner: Jeremy Birt (Stowupland Falcons FC)