From the Ground Up
It was nearing dusk on a balmy Wednesday when I headed down to the Poole Borough Ladies’ training ground. It was about 8pm, and the team had just finished their training session, cleats clopping on concrete as I was greeted by my interviewees for the evening. Up until a year ago, this women’s team didn’t exist. Together, manager Joanne Farmer and coach Wayne Hawes set about to change this. I sat down with them to find out how they’ve been creating a culture of belonging through team sport.
First things first…what is football to you?
Wayne: Football has been a huge part of my life since the age of seven when I first joined my school team in Hamworthy. 99% of my friends I’ve met through football - there’s an important social aspect of being in a team and playing for and with each other which I really miss in other, non-team sports.
Jo: I’d always watched, but never played, up until nine years ago when I joined a team of mums for a charity game once a year. None of us were footballers, we were just a group of mums who were having the time of their lives.
So how did that develop into managing Poole Borough Ladies?
Jo: Well, we loved it so much that we started to play friendlies twice a year, and eventually Wayne set up the ladies’ team at Broadstone.
Wayne: I’d previously only managed male teams, and at that point I was managing the under 14s at Broadstone. We had a fantastic time over there with the ladies’ team, even getting to play Brentford Women’s FC for a pre-season friendly, and we only lost 5-3!
Jo: After playing for Broadstone, I got into coaching youth as well, before I came over to Borough.
What do you enjoy most about managing and coaching the team?
Wayne: Team ethics are something I love about women’s football in general, but I particularly see it here. The team brings together people who wouldn’t usually meet, let alone become good friends, and they all push each other and
themselves to be better and better. It feels like there are more wins than just goals scored on the pitch, and the overall atmosphere is so motivational and positive.
Jo: We have players who are new to football and have never been the type to go for a run or to the gym, but who are now working so hard at improving their fitness outside of our sessions that they’re ready to be part of the first team. Fitness can be a real personal battle - finding the motivation and discipline to keep up with it - and the team massively spur each other on to keep going. We have a group chat which is always active, whether it’s someone sharing something they did today or our captain, Becs, trying to rope someone into going for a run with her!
Why should women sign up to their local team?
Jo: The league we’re in is the Dorset Women’s Development League, which means we’re all just starting out and finding our footing as teams. There’s less pressure to be 100% perfect, we’re all working hard and trying our best, but there’s room for us to grow and develop as individuals and teams throughout the season. You don’t need to be a professional footballer or even have played before, you just need to be ready to give it a go and try your best. We have ladies of all ages, shapes, and sizes on the team - there’s no set way you should look or age you should be.
Wayne: Of course there’s the physical benefits to your health and fitness, but we’re finding the ladies are seeing so much
improvement to their mental health as well. Whether it’s in building the confidence in your body to put on a football kit and get out on the pitch or in socialising and working together as a team, some of the ladies are unrecognisable in their confidence from when they started to just a few weeks in.
So, if someone reading this wanted to come and give it a go, what would that involve?
Jo: The best way to get started is to just send us a message on Facebook or Instagram. You’re then more than welcome to come along to one of our Wednesday night training sessions from 7pm to 8pm - you don’t need to commit there and then, just see what you think for a week or two. We understand that there is a certain level of commitment required which might not be feasible for some people, particularly now we’re at the start of our first season in the league with matches taking place every Sunday. We want you to make sure the team will be able to fit nicely into your life - it’s also important to be active in the group chat to further build those relationships.
Wayne: There are other responsibilities involved in being part of the team, as with any local football club, whether that’s volunteering to take the kits home to be washed after a match, or answering questions your teammates might have in the group chat. Once you’ve decided you’re up for it and want to commit, you’ll need to find a sponsor who will cover the £100 needed for your kits and league costs and we’ll promote them on our socials.
Jo: If you’re based elsewhere in Dorset, there’s likely a team in our league who are local to you, so have a look and get in touch with them to find out how to get involved! It’s so worth it, and I’m so thankful I took the plunge all those years ago to join my first team. I know there’s a lot of ladies in Poole Borough at the moment who feel the same, whether they first came along to a training session when we were just a group of five or six, or now, when we’ve got over 25 players on the team.
