Dorset County FA have worked closely with the England Beach Soccer team and Poole Borough Council to create the first mainland Beach Soccer League in the Country, which will be starting in June.
With the England squad now calling the Poole sands their home, and having the best beaches in the Country, it was only sensible to create a provision in the town. The construction of a second permanent pitch on the sands between Canford Cliffs and Branksome Chime by Poole Borough Council has helped make this dream into a reality.
The league this summer will run for six weeks during June and July, and is currently open to applications from teams, details of which are available at www.dorsetfa.com. This is a fantastic opportunity for the local area, whether teams are looking for an addition to their summer training programme, organisations/colleagues for staff bonding or a group of friends to make the most of this fantastic venue to play this great version of our national game.
In addition to the Poole Beach Soccer League it is hoped there will be many other Beach Soccer activities and events run in Poole throughout the summer in partnership between Dorset FA and England Beach Soccer. There are already plans to introduce women’s and junior competitions in future years if the league proves a success this summer.
John Hawkins, Chief Executive of England Beach Soccer said; “"We are absolutely delighted to be working so closely with the Dorset FA to develop the first ever County FA led beach soccer leagues and various events in Poole. For many years we’ve wanted to develop Dorset as a beach soccer mecca as it has the most stunning beaches and the Council, Dorset FA and the potential players here seem to have the appetite to create something very special. These initiatives are taking beach soccer in England to a new level, and will surely become the template for all good beach soccer development in the future".
Todd Govan, Football Development Officer at Dorset FA said; “The Poole Beach Soccer League marks a massive step forward to achieving our vision, the provision of this alternative format of the game to engage more players, and officials, in the sport whilst utilising our fantastic local natural resources. Working with England Beach Soccer provides fantastic support and a pathway for all involved to progress in the game.”
