SAFC in the community

Ever since formation Scarborough Athletic FC has been proud to call itself a community-based football club.

Although the first team play down the coast in Bridlington at present, the club has a rich interest in Scarborough and the local area - signified by it’s community work.

Boro’s second-string reserve side play in the Borough of Scarborough - at Filey’s Community Sports Ground. Their team consists of many local Scarborough players - mainly youngsters who will one day hope to make the grade and join the first team squad and the NCEL and beyond.

A new under-19s side is being formed during 2011, and will enter a competitive league for the 2011-12 season - the squad being guided by local coach Steve Dorey and featuring a squad packed full of the area’s best young footballing talent.

The club also has strong links with the area’s futsal team East Coast Futsal - a format of the game which is proving ever popular as it grows and evolves. The club also has an official partnership with Scarborough Ladies Football Club, which gives mutual benefits to both set-ups. The Ladies club has a junior set-up of over 100 players, and SAFC sponsor one of the girls‘ sides each year.

The club has a thriving supporters’ team - Seadogs FC, and there are also early plans to create a youth side at under-13s level for next season - hopefully the beginnings of the club‘s own academy.

Away from football the club’s community work reaches out to numerous groups around the Borough. Players have visited schools and out-of-school groups to give training sessions, club officials have attended fun days and open days at schools and colleges, and a regular group of adults attend our matches from the Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Learning Disability Partnership.

The club are members of the Scarborough & District Sports Council, the National Association of Disabled Supporters, The Football Supporters Federation, and of course Supporters Direct - the national umbrella organisation for all Trust-run clubs. The club are also in the process of attaining the FA Charter Standard award.

Couple all this with the club’s continued activities for local and national charities such as St Catherine’s Hospice, Breast Cancer Care, MacMillian, Sports Relief, Help The Heroes and British Red Cross, among others, and you can see the club’s community section is a massive part of Scarborough Athletic FC.

For more information on any aspect of the club’s community work, to book a visit from players and officials at your school or group, or anything else contact Community Director Wendy Danby via email at wendy@scarboroughathletic.com