Tag: girls

News

Five VPFC League Teams Kick Off In One Weekend

Last year we launched our league section with a single team. This weekend we took a big step forward: five VPFC league teams all kicked off their seasons — a brilliant milestone with plenty of excitement around the club.

VPFC U11 Victoria

The members of this squad met and decided to form a team at VPFC, but had to move to St Albans Rangers initially as we didn’t have a league section. Now they’ve come home. In their first 9-a-side outing in VPFC colours, the team showed composure in possession, confidence playing back to the keeper under pressure, energetic pressing, and lively wing play. Player of the Match: Ethan for a brave performance in goal.

VPFC U11 Romans

A hugely entertaining match that had parents gripped to the end. With a depleted squad and no substitutes, every player put in a full shift. The group rallied with energy, determination, and togetherness throughout.

VPFC U10 Victoria

A proud first outing for many who are new to competitive football. The team adapted quickly to the faster pace and greater physicality, stuck to their roles well, and showed great attitude throughout. There was even an early “goal of the season” contender — a superb long-range free-kick equaliser that had everyone on their feet.

VPFC U9 Victorians

A composed first half set the platform for confident attacking after the break. Passing patterns were neat, the tracking back and defending were strong, and Luke took Player of the Match for tireless box-to-box work and smart distribution.

VPFC U9 Saints

Our first girls’ team made their competitive debut and embraced the occasion. Two full debutants got valuable minutes as coaches rotated formations to involve everyone. Team spirit was excellent and smiles all round at full time. Alice netted the Saints’ first league goal, and Carmen was awarded Player of the Match by the opposition on her debut.

Thank You

Warm thanks to Cherry Scaffolding, Specsavers St Albans, and Persado for supporting our teams this season and helping to keep costs down for families. We’re also grateful to Royal Mail for a grant towards training tops for two squads. Your support is appreciated as we continue to grow community football in St Albans — always with the emphasis on participation, development, and fun.

News

VPFC joins Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League 🎉

We’re delighted to confirm that VPFC has been accepted into the Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League (HGFPL) — the county’s flagship girls’ competition with 6,000+ registered players and fixtures every Saturday morning.

Why this matters

  • Inclusion first – offering a dedicated girls’ league sits perfectly with our club ethos of equal access and a welcoming environment for every player.
  • Clear pathway – only a year ago we were a primary-age, skills-only club; now a girl can join us in Reception, grow through our Skills programme and move into all-girls league football right through secondary school, all without ever leaving VPFC.
  • Raising our standards – the HGFPL’s size, structure and community focus align with our goal of providing the best local football experience on and off the pitch.

First impressions

Immediately on been accepted, we were invited to the league’s AGM at short notice. John Sparrowhawk, prospective manager of our first girls’ league side, squeezed it into his diary and was blown away by the scale and energy in the room — over 100 club representatives and several new-club applications discussed in a friendly but lively session. A great sign that girls’ football in Hertfordshire is thriving.

Next steps

  • Finalise squad and coaching team for our inaugural HGFPL side (U10s).
  • Arrange league registration and kit ordering in the coming weeks.
  • Keep building girls’ numbers across all age groups – including our brand-new Reception 25/26 intake, where application are currently running 50:50 girls and boys.

“Joining the HGFPL underlines our commitment to inclusivity and growth. We can’t wait to see our first girls’ team run out in VPFC colours next season.”

Gordon Baisley, Chair

Stay tuned for further news and volunteer opportunities. In the meantime, explore the league here:
đź”— HGFPL website

HGFPL
News

VPFC U10s Crown Debut Season with Cup Triumph

The curtain came down on a memorable first campaign for our U10s last weekend as they lifted the Sycamore League Cup at Hertfordshire FA’s County Ground in Letchworth.

VPFC U10s lift the Sycamore League Cup at the Herts FA County Ground

Cup finals day is always special: individual changing rooms, a tunnel walk-out and a sizeable, good-natured crowd gave the occasion a professional feel. The opponents were the well-drilled Watton Sharks, and the match lived up to the billing.

VPFC fell behind early, but steady pressure and some neat passing saw the boys turn the tide and enter the latter stages in the lead. With just a couple of minutes to play the Sharks levelled, hinting at the drama of penalties. Instead, a thumping finish from VPFC in the dying seconds settled it, sparking blue-and-yellow celebrations on and off the pitch.

Every single player played out of their skins, capping a debut season in which the team has grown in confidence week by week. Huge congratulations to the squad, coaches and travelling supporters — silverware in year one is quite a statement.

Roll on next season!

News

A Fortnight of Firsts: New Ground, New League Team, First Mixed Team

If this first month of 2025 is anything to go by, it’s clear that VPFC is set for another fantastic year of growth and achievement. We’re thrilled to share three exciting firsts that have kicked off our year in style:

  • Our first league matches played at The Woollams Playing Fields
  • The debut match for our second league team, VPFC U8 Victorians
  • The launch of our first mixed team

Both our existing U10 league team and our brand-new U8 team played their first matches at Woollams last weekend, a major milestone for VPFC. This marks the culmination of a year-long search for a league home and months of discussions with OA Sport, who are responsible for the site. I couldn’t be prouder to have Woollams serve as our home for league football – it’s a fantastic location!

  • Our U10 Team

The Woollams Playing Fields were created when the Woollams Trust converted 73 acres of the Cheapside Farm, off Harpenden Road, into purpose-built sports facilities. At the time of its creation, it was the largest single-site sports facility in Europe. With underground drainage and laser-levelled pitches, Woollams offers some of the best playing surfaces around. I firmly believe we now have the finest home pitches in the league.

While this is an exciting step forward, it’s also a trial period for both OA Sport and ourselves. Reaching this point involved OA Sport conducting thoughtful consultation with multiple stakeholders, including the three other sports clubs that already operate at the site—Rugby, Cricket, and Tennis – along with St Albans School and their groundskeeping staff. While this season is a trial, I’m optimistic this is the beginning of a lasting and fruitful partnership. To help strengthen that relationship, I encourage everyone attending league matches at Woollams to go out of your way to make a positive impression—let’s ensure VPFC is recognised as an asset to the site and its community.

Another major milestone for the club is the debut of our U8 league team, VPFC U8 Victorians, led by Allister Manson. If you haven’t already ready the match report by our Treasurer, Mike Hillary, I’d encourage you to do so, it follows this article in our news feed. It’s brilliant to see a second team taking to the pitch in our first year of launching a league section. What makes this even more special is that it’s our first-ever mixed team.

  • Photos from our U8’s match

Although we’ve always been a mixed club, the reality is that our female player numbers have historically been much lower than our male numbers. While many talented female players have come through VPFC, their transition to league football has until now meant individuals finding places at other clubs on their own. Before now, none of our VPFC groups had launched a girls’ or mixed team.

We’ve worked hard over the years to welcome more female players and coaches to VPFC, and the launch of the Victorians is a meaningful step towards a more balanced and inclusive future. I’m confident this team will inspire others and attract more girls to the club. Hopefully, this is the first of many mixed and girls’ teams we’ll see playing in VPFC colours.

Congratulations to everyone involved in these wonderful firsts. I look forward to following the progress of all our teams in the weeks and months ahead!

Gordon Baisley

Chairman

News

Celebrations to end our 23/24 season

Our 23/24 season drew to a close last weekend and what another great season we’ve had!  

Each year group held a prize giving where we acknowledged how our players have progressed throughout the year and awarded medals and trophies for their efforts. We also took time to thank all of our volunteer head coaches and coaches for running brilliant sessions week in week out for the children. 

We then gathered as a whole club to celebrate some amazing achievements from this season. We have seen record numbers of players at VPFC this year, and our club has only been able to grow because of the fantastic support from our volunteers. 

We continuously want to grow the number of girls at our club and we’re delighted that we have a record number of girls at VPFC this season as well. Because of this we have been able to enter our first girls team in tournaments during this season.  

Every year, a number of league teams are formed at the end of the season, seeing groups of children leave VPFC with coaches to form a team and play in a local league. This year we see 6 teams form and we wish them all the best playing in their new teams.  

We now break for the summer and look forward to another fantastic season when we start back on 7th September. 

News

VPFC Girls Teams Compete in the Berkhamsted Tournament

The VPFC girls’ football program has seen significant growth, leading to an exciting milestone: two teams (Year 2 and Year 5) competed in their first competitive matches at the Berkhamsted Tournament.

Pictured above the Y2 and Y5 teams and coaches (left) – just look at that enthusiasm from Alice (centre in goalie gloves)! The Y2 girls receiving their medals (right).

U10 Girls Team: A Promising Debut

The VPFC U10 girls’ team displayed incredible enthusiasm and determination in their debut tournament.

  • First Game: The girls started strong with a 0-0 draw. Despite being the better team, they couldn’t break through the opposition’s defence. Alicia played a pivotal role in midfield, creating several great through balls for Eliza, who came close to scoring.
  • Second Game: Another solid 0-0 draw. Bea had her best performance in midfield, while Mabel was a key player all over the pitch.
  • Third Game: The team celebrated their first win! Lottie scored a goal with a well-timed run from defence, and strong performances from ValĂ© and Erin rounded out the line-up.
  • Final Game: Facing the toughest team in the group, the girls unfortunately lost 4-0.

Overall, the U10 girls delivered a commendable performance, finishing 3rd out of 5 in their league and narrowly missing the playoffs by goal difference. A fantastic effort for their first taste of competitive football.

U7 Girls Team: Battling Against Older Competition

The VPFC U7 girls entered an U8 competition, facing teams mostly composed of older players with more league experience.

  • First Game: Neus made some great saves in goal, while Julie, Alice, and Amelie provided solid defence. Sophie, Claudia, and Emmeline were a constant attacking threat. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, earning the girls their first point in competitive play.
  • Second Game: Fresh legs from Eve and Florence in midfield, alongside excellent defending from Julie and Neus (now playing outfield), led to a hard-fought match. Despite their efforts, the girls lost 1-0 to a late goal.
  • Games 3 and 4: The coach experimented with new formations and positions, resulting in close defeats but valuable learning experiences for the team.
  • Final Two Games: Against the top two teams, some of whom were up to two years older, the girls showed great resilience. Though they didn’t end on a high note, their effort against stronger, more experienced opposition was commendable.

Despite the challenges, the U7 girls demonstrated significant potential and should be proud of their performance against older teams. This experience will undoubtedly serve as a springboard for future success.

Is this the first glimpse of some future Lionesses? Keep watching this space for more exciting updates!

News

Year 3 at Welwyn Garden City Tournament

On 16th June our Year 3 group took 3 teams of 7 to play at the Welwyn Garden City Youth FC’s 5-a-side tournament.

The children soaked up the experience of playing in a tournament, and have to be commended for giving their absolute best whilst having lots of fun. They fully embraced our club ethos of having fun, supporting and encouraging each other and working as a team, winning and losing together.

Whilst the results weren’t all in our favour, all of the children put their hearts and souls into the games and they had a fantastic day out. 

We had great support from our parents, who cheered the children on throughout and gave some brilliant feedback afterwards on how well organised and run the tournament was, which included:

“A great experience for them and wonderful to see them giving their best whilst having fun”

“Thank you coaches for all your work putting together…a really lovely experience for them all”

“Thank you and well done to all involved. Great afternoon”

Well done to all of Year 3 for a brilliant tournament! 

News

VPFC Kids Shine as Guard of Honour at St Albans FC Game Against Truro City FC

The Event

March 16, 2024, marked a special day for Victoria Playing Fields Football Club’s (VPFC) young players. Organized by Chris Hawkins, the Y2 group had the honor of being the guard of honour at a St Albans FC match against Truro City FC. Despite St Albans FC‘s narrow 2-1 defeat, the event was a hit, focusing on unity, joy, and community support.

[ Match Report ]

Highlights of the Day

The day was packed with memorable activities. Our kids took pride in forming the guard of honour and running around the pitch at half-time. These moments went beyond football, showcasing a sense of belonging and collective excitement.

While the kids enjoyed meeting Sammy the Saint, the day was more about coming together as a club, supporting our local team, and having a fantastic time. It was these experiences, full of laughter and shared joy, that made the day truly special for everyone at VPFC.

A Community Effort

This experience offered the VPFC kids a glimpse into the larger football community, allowing them to see their role models up close and dream big. With over 40 children participating in their VPFC kits, the day underscored the club’s spirit and communal bond.

Gratitude

A heartfelt thanks to Chris Hawkins for orchestrating this memorable day. Events like these reinforce our love for football and highlight the importance of our place within the VPFC family.

News

VPFC U7 girls take on Harpenden Colts A team

Our U7 girls took part in their second friendly match against a Harpenden Colts girls’ team on Saturday the 11th November 2023 at the Harpenden Town Stadium in front of a sell out crowd of 5 dads, 5 mums and 1 dog.

The team of Jessica, Neus, Georgina, Ava, Claudia, Sophie and Alice were taking on the A team from Harpenden this time but acquitted themselves brilliantly and showed how much they’ve improved. An early goal for Harpenden was equalised by a full length of the pitch dribble and shot by Claudia. The whole team then ran back the full length of the pitch to celebrate their first competitive goal!!

The second half was just as entertaining with great teamwork and many chances to score at both ends. All our goalkeepers were brilliant and much improved but a special mention to Jessica who saved with every part of body including her face and carried on after a short break. Great resilience!! Harpenden Colts took the lead again in the second half but after many near misses Georgina got VPFC on the scoresheet for a second time after some real intensity in their play in the final quarter. A great comeback, team spirit and refusing to give up gave VPFC a well earned 2-2 draw.

Well done girls – a fantastic performance from all.

News

A Memorable Mascot Experience for VPFC Kids at St Albans FC’s Match against Dover Athletic

On Saturday, 25th March, Victoria Playing Fields Football Club (VPFC) had a fantastic opportunity to participate in a thrilling event with our local semi-professional team, St Albans FC, also known as the “Saints”. The young football enthusiasts from VPFC were invited to be mascots and form part of the guard of honour for the Saints in their match against Dover Athletic at Clarence Park Stadium.

Despite some concerns about the weather, the day remained relatively dry with even a few glimpses of sunshine. The match drew a great turnout, with over 2000 people in attendance which not only contributed to the great atmosphere but also a record in exceeding 2000 attendee’s twice this season (the first in their history). This attendance included more than 35 girls and boys from VPFC, proudly wearing their full club kit. The girls from our club received a special mention from the commentator, who dubbed them “Lionesses”.

This amazing opportunity was organized by Chris Hawkins (Head Coach, Y1) and the rest of the Y1 coaching team. Both parents and children had a fantastic time at the game, creating memories that will last a lifetime. My own son was eagerly counting down the days leading up to the game, and I know many other kids shared his excitement. Many children, including my own, described the day as “the best day ever”. Their excitement at being mascots was only increased by the St Albans City FC team holding out for a 1-0 win at home.

The remarkable turnout of VPFC members at the game highlights the sense of community that our club fosters. It’s important to remember that our club is run by volunteers, who are committed to creating a positive and engaging experience for all the children involved, why not come volunteer with us?

St Albans City v Dover Athletic – 25th March 2023