ASR FC

Who we are?

We are ASR FC and our project has been running since October 2007.  The project in essence is quite simple.  We have established a Sunday league football team, consisting of young people from within the local community.  Sport Relief, along with everyone else are attuned to the fact that sport is in fact an excellent way to engage young people, whilst providing enjoyment and exercise.  Our project hopes to really bite into this ideology by bringing together young people from different faiths, backgrounds and races, and allow them to share a common interest.

Clearly conflict often presents as a result of differences between people.  Our team hopes to provide a common ground, and use this commonality as a basis from which we can encourage young people to engage in discussion about issues that affect them.  Playing in a team itself provides invaluable learning experiences for young people.  It promotes teamwork, and more importantly, what to do if team dynamics break down.  We also hope to hold many of our practice sessions in local parks around our area.  This will hopefully encourage more local young people to get involved and take part.

Our Aim

There are a number of issues that we are trying to tackle, many of which have deeply rooted causative factors.  Antisocial behaviour, racism and violence are terms often used in the same sentence.  We also live in an area where drugs and drug abuse are a huge problem.

By setting up a Sunday league team, we hope to add some structure and discipline to playing football, and hope this may transfer off the football pitch and into the daily life of our young people.  Having strict training and practice regimes will encourage young people to work together towards a common goal, and hopefully allow them to see that there is more to growing up then getting involved with drugs and crime.

Playing with people of different ages, races, faiths and backgrounds will encourage respect for each other and develop good citizens for the future.  The team also aims to keep young people busy, diverting their attention away from antisocial behaviour, and towards discipline.

The Benefits

We believe young people will benefit greatly from our project.  Firstly, they will be exercising regularly in order to be fit enough to play.  We already have a coach, who will concentrate a lot on fitness and health, which is obviously very important.  We hope young people will learn how to get and stay healthy, and this is important for their development throughout life.  Hopefully, being part of the team will be fun, which should encourage young people to continue to stay fit, even after they leave the team.

Strict training and practice regimes will promote discipline, which again is a transferable attribute.  Working closely with people of different backgrounds and faiths will not only encourage respect, but also education about different people and their beliefs.

This is vital in an ever changing world where multiculturalism and diversity are clearly the way forward for society.  The team captain will change regularly, and encourage young people to lead, both diplomatically and effectively.  We also hope to enrol some the young people in coaching and refereeing courses, should they choose to pursue their interest further.  Ultimately, we hope to develop leaders and role models, and encourage skills that will be useful in life.

What does The Logo Say About The Team?

Our crest is very unique.  The main part of the crest represents the football pitch, with one red dot which represents a target. In other words, we use sports as a stepping stone for young people to develop in many ways possible, to reach the goal, to reach the target.

Why Football?

Football requires teamwork to reach its target. There are eleven players, each with different objectives and different roles but one goal. In football it is vital for all players to work as team to reach the goal.

As with any kind of organisation it is important that everyone plays a part in order to achieve the goal. This is one of the underlying achievements that the young people will gain when they play apart of our team. They will understand what their role is and why it is important for them to be apart of the team.

Eleven Players One Heartbeat?

What does it mean? Simple. On the pitch our eleven players breathe the same air, they struggle as one unit, and their heart beats as one to achieve one goal.

As any other company or organisation whether they have 100 employees or a 1000, their hearts need to beat as one in order to achieve their target or goal.

Who is it open for?

We welcome everyone to be apart of our team whether you are young people, volunteers, local businesses or organisations looking to support us in any way possible.

ASR FC currently have 2 teams entered into the Sunday League Tournament.

ASR FC Training Sessions are every Thursday, 5pm to 6pm, which is open to the public to attend

ASR FC also have a further Football Drop in session at Leamanor School on the Astro Turf Pitch.