Breadalbane Strathtay Youth fc benefit from crime cash

Aug 28 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

BREADALBANE Strathtay Youth FC have netted a £2,880 grant through the SFA’s partnership with CashBack for Communities – a Scottish Government initiative which distributes money retrieved from the proceeds of crime.

The grant will go towards the clubs girls section and will maintain and increase the amount of girls-only football played in Highland Perthshire at both school and at club level.

On the back of the £66,000 grant Breadalbane FC received earlier in the year to fund pitch and changing room improvements, this grant is further reward for the great strides it has made in recent years.

Over the last two years the club has been very active in the development of girls football in the Highland Perthshire area.

After school girls-only training sessions have been set up at Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Ballinluig and Aberfeldy and as a result the club now has a flourishing girls section with teams at U11 and U13 level playing in the East of Scotland Leagues.

In 2007 the go-ahead Highland Perthshire club became only the second in Scotland to attain the SFA Quality Mark Community Status and the following year went on to win “Grassroots Club of the Year” at a ceremony at Hampden Park.

This achievement was assisted with support from one-time St Johnstone player Gavin Price, Perth and Kinross Council’s football club development officer, in line with council plans to strengthen community sports clubs across the area.

Karen Todd, Active Schools co-ordinator for Pitlochry High School, said: “Our School Club links with Breadalbane Strathtay Youth Football Club has had a fantastic impact for girls in the Highland Perthshire area.

“Not only are there more and more girls playing and enjoying football on a regular basis, but many of them are now able to take their sport to a new level at the club and compete at regional level.

“Without the inhibitions of having to play football with the boys more girls are taking up the game and are, crucially, continuing to do so as they move into secondary schooling.”