Girls football club highly commended at Scottish Women’s Football awards

SHETLAND Girls Football have been highly commended at this year’s Scottish Women’s Football awards, which were held at Hampden Park at the weekend.

The club was nominated for ScottishPower Sustainable Team of the Year prize in recognition of the efforts the club has made to grow and sustain player numbers and compete in regional and national competitions.

Assistant youth coach and former girls player Kayla-Marie Pottinger represented the club at the gala event.

The sustainable team award was won by Dryburgh Athletic from Dundee.

However, Scottish Women’s Football chief executive Aileen Campbell said:“This was the inaugural Sustainable Club of the Year award and the judging panel decided that Shetland deserved recognition for the efforts gone to to provide football opportunities to girls on the islands”.

Pottinger summed up her experience at the event: “I was really grateful to attend such a special event with football talent from all over Scotland. Hopefully as our club continues to grow, we’ll get more opportunities like this and maybe even win a main award next time.”

Shetland Girls and Women’s chairperson Michael Duncan added: “It was really surprising to be nominated for this award. It is testament to what good ambassadors our players, coaches and helpers have been for Shetland and the work we’ve done to build the girl game in Shetland.

“It was great Kayla-Marie could attend on behalf of the club. Following the merger with Shetland Women’s FC, we need to plan to do more of the same in 2024. We will need sponsorship to achieve this and hopefully build toward Orkney Island Games 2025.”

Club secretary Adam Priest also highlighted the need for sponsorship. “If any organisations would be interested in supporting Shetland Girls and Women’s football, please contact our treasurer Sheila on sheila.duncan5@btinternet.com any assistance in this regard would be most gratefully received,” he said.