Going for international glory… meet the incredible AFC Wimbledon U14 Girls
As a business, we are committed to helping the community in which we work and live. One way we do this is by supporting grassroots girls’ football, a sport that is notoriously underfunded compared to the boys’ game.
Our journey started with Surrey-based Horsley FC in 2019 supporting a young team with big ambitions that was soon netting victories which led to Novatiq sponsoring the FC’s U12 team in 2020. We continue to build on this momentum, and we now support AFC Wimbledon U14 Girls, an elite team that’s considered to be the most successful in Wimbledon’s history at this age group.
Let’s meet this inspiring team of national champions and learn what’s next for these go-getting girls.
The best amateur, non-academy team in England 2021/2022 season …
As far as track records go, AFC Wimbledon U14s are in a league of their own. They’ve been victorious in every major competition, lifting the coveted Surrey County Cup, winning the Surrey County Girls Premiership title and – icing on the cake – becoming National Champions.
There are two teams in the squad, 28 girls in total from diverse backgrounds, and they each bring something unique to the pitch. The one thing they have in common is a burning hunger to win. Even as Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and other top-flight Academies came scouting, the girls chose to stay with this amazing team and the club.
That’s why we’re so proud to be one of the sponsors of this season’s Kits for AFC Wimbledon U14 Girls.
Five new girls have come on board this year – out of 172 who attended trials, which really shows the strength of talent playing girl’s football in this country.
AFC Wimbledon fields one U14 team in the JPL and one team in the SCWGL– that play on Sundays which gives everyone a chance to shine on the field. Between the two teams, the girls will play around 60 matches before season-end in May. Add in tournament games, and that’s a gruelling 80-match season ahead for these hard-working teens.
And what a season it promises to be. We were screaming from the sidelines as Wimbledon smashed their opening games – that’s two victories in one weekend in their new Novatiq kit!
From national champs to international superstars
Riding high on the successes of 2022, the girls are now dreaming of international glory.
Their next big target is the Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world’s largest and most prestigious youth football tournament. In the summer of 2023, 1,700 teams from 80 nations will play 4,500 matches on 110 pitches in and around Stockholm, all of them hoping to be crowned World Champions. Around 42,000 football disciples are expected to attend the opening ceremony. It’s a fantastic way to bring together different cultures, nations and backgrounds, using the beautiful game as a force for good.
The U14s have already started training hard to make their Gothia Cup dream a reality. England Lawn Tennis club has kindly allocated two pitches for the team to rent for home games, so the girls can be match-fit and raring to go for next summer.
Climbing up the international ranks is a massive undertaking for any team, but with the right support, anything is possible for this determined group of girls. We’ll be cheering and fundraising for them every step of the way and we hope you will too! You can follow their journey on their social media channels and on AFC Wimbledon’s website and we’ll be sure to keep you updated on their progress.
As for Novatiq, we are delighted to support the girls as they play in a team they love and strive for glory among the world’s junior elite. We’ve built our own reputation on excellence and it’s part of our culture to help others achieve their potential too. This is our first venture into helping elite footballers take their game to the next level, and we hope it’s the first of many bridges we can help build between grassroots and Academy ranks.
We’re excited to see where it takes us. And who knows – in a few years’ time, one of these girls might be representing England at a World Cup. COYG! (Come on you girls!)
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