There is no doubt that the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 caught the attention of football fans and the wider public. Stadiums were packed, games were shown on primetime TV slots, and players became household names as we all watched the Lionesses bring football home.

But in the words of Gabby Logan: “You think it’s all over? It’s only just begun.”

With this pace of change, clubs across the Sheffield & Hallamshire region have had the perfect opportunity to review their women and girls’ football offer and establish a sustainable future through the Euro Legacy Club project.

One such club that has ensured they have maximised the legacy of the record-breaking WEUROs is Hallam & Redmires Rangers Junior Football Club who are based in the S10 area. The club is one of the longest established junior football clubs in the Sheffield & District Junior Sunday League, having had boys’ teams for over 50 years. They now have almost 80 players in six girls’ teams ranging from under-8s to under-16s, all which have been founded within the last five years.

As part of the Euro Legacy project, Hallam & Redmires Rangers have set the benchmark for how to keep moving forward with providing equal access, diverse workforces and inclusive environments to encourage more girls to join their club.

The project challenged clubs to look at creative ways they could improve the overall experience for female players, coaches and volunteers. This could be by increasing the number of female coaches, improve gender diversity in decision makers to better represent players, tackle inequalities in mixed clubs, and empower and support the women and girls who play. 

Hallam & Redmires Rangers went above and beyond in every aspect of the project. Over the last 12 to 18 months, they demonstrated an incredible ability to listen to and value the opinions of players, parents and key stakeholders. Keeping players at the heart was crucial and led to a collaborative approach with fantastic results.

Just some of the developments include:

• Mums’ Steering Committee - A parents’ committee of just mums to provide more feedback and generate ideas on how to improve the club
• Player-to-Coach programme - Specifically for older girls aged 14-16 to learn more about the game and help coach the younger teams.
• Prioritising recruiting at least 1 female coach for each female team - Half of the girls’ teams already have a female manager or coach, with seven female volunteers in total.
• Period Packs for all female teams
• Bespoke support for all new coaches

Thanks to their sterling efforts with the Euro Legacy project, Hallam & Redmires Rangers were named our Grassroots Club of the Year 2022.

For more information on how Hallam Rangers reviewed their women and girls’ football offer, watch the video below.

Tom Measham, Club Support Officer at Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, believes Hallam & Redmires JFC have created the perfect blueprint for other clubs to follow.

Tom said: “Hallam & Redmires JFC have been the flagship for this project. From day one they have been comfortable to look at their current offer and recognise there were areas to improve, and they have shown an appetite to do so. 

“What has been so pleasing to see, is the way in which the club has evolved over the last 12-18 months. The fact they have listened and valued the opinions of their stakeholders has ensured a collaborative approach, which has lead to to some fantastic results. I am certain this club will continue to flourish.”

For more information on how your club can maximise the UEFA Women’s Euros,  visit our Euro Legacy Page: www.sheffieldfa.com/players/euro-2022-club-legacy-programme 

For support in making your club the best place for women and girls to play, contact Tom Measham at Tom.Measham@SheffieldFA.com