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Forres Pre-Kickers football club for early years players awarded £310 by Berry Burn wind farm Community Fund


By Garry McCartney

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Eilidh Steele has an eye for goal.
Eilidh Steele has an eye for goal.

A CLUB for tiny footballers has been awarded £310 generated by wind power for new equipment.

Forres Pre-Kickers (FPK) will use £310 from the Berry Burn Community Fund for football introduction training accessories for pre-school children focused on balancing and coordination skills.

Jamie and Kim McGowan run Forres Pre-Kickers on Saturdays.
Jamie and Kim McGowan run Forres Pre-Kickers on Saturdays.

FPK organiser Kim McGowan confirmed the players will benefit from new balance stepping stones and a walkway, pop-up goals, cones, poles and passing hoops.

She said: “We are delighted to get the funding as so far we have paid for the equipment we use ourselves. Otherwise we would have to save up donations by parents which can take a long time.

“We have also applied for a Tesco grant which will pay for more T-shirts, other equipment the kids would benefit from, and possibly other things such as water bottles or hoodies.”

FPK is a class for children aged from 18 months to four years old, run in the small gym next to Forres Swimming Pool and/or Roysvale Park. Participants must be accompanied by a parent or carer.

Kim said: “We initially tried to start pre-kickers in March 2020 when our son turned 18 months, but had to wait until the end of November for the Covid-19 restrictions to ease off. We then stopped again and started running the classes outdoors in March.

“It’s just myself and my husband Jamie who run it – Jamie does the coaching as he holds coaching badges and I do the administration.”

Noah Smith listening to the advice and encouragement of coach Jamie.
Noah Smith listening to the advice and encouragement of coach Jamie.

There are currently two classes of 15 children with a further 10 on a waiting list.

The sessions are currently run outdoors at Roysvale on Saturdays at 9.45am and 10.30am.

Haris Jaganjac striking from distance at Roysvale.
Haris Jaganjac striking from distance at Roysvale.

Kim said: “We typically do a warm up, an activity such as colour sorting equipment or ‘treasure steal’, some passing and dribbling exercises, a football drill such as running in and out of cones over the balance pods then shoot at goal, then an assault course at the end.

“We would like to encourage families from all financial backgrounds to attend as we run the class on a donation basis with the maximum limit set at £2 a week.

“FPK encourages toddlers to become more confident, especially younger ones who missed out on baby and toddler classes during lockdown.”

For more information visit the Forres Pre-Kickers Facebook page.

Kai Anderson being put through his paces.
Kai Anderson being put through his paces.


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