Eccleshill United Juniors have had an excellent year.

In November 2004 the club set up

soccer schools to go alongside their existing teams aged under-12 to under-17.

As a result, more than 80 children took part in training sessions at their ground on Kingsway off Wrose Road on Saturday mornings.

This was part of the club's application to the West Riding County Football Association and the Football Association to gain the Charter Standard Club Award.

This was achieved through hard work by the junior committee. A

development plan was put forward with the promise that all 17 team

managers would complete their level one coaching awards.

Just recently Karen Hall (under-11s), Pete Davey and Janine Wilkinson (under-10s), Damian Towriss (under-nines), Andrew Halstead (under-eights) and Carl Busfield (under-

sevens) passed their coaching badge and took up their positions as team managers.

This season, 84 tracksuits were bought for the children and all these teams now play in the Keybury League.

They haven't won many games so far but head coach Mick Couzens said: "I've stressed to the boys and girls

that the results do not matter, it's all about taking part in the great game of football and enjoying themselves."

He added: "We have squads of 15 players in each team and use a rota

system of taking only nine players to the Sunday matches.

"This is based upon their behaviour on a Saturday morning at the training sessions. So far, we haven't had much trouble from these young players."

The junior club have organised many fund-raising efforts throughout the year including bag-packing at local supermarkets, a Neil 'Razor' Ruddock charity dinner, day trips to look round Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United football clubs, a penalty shoot-out tournament for a children's cancer charity and some holiday soccer schools.

As a result of receiving the Charter Standard Award in July 2005, the club received 100 free tickets from the WRCFA to go watch England under-21s play at Elland Road and to meet Sir Geoff Hurst in Leeds.

On Saturday, Couzens is launching indoor soccer schools for boys and girls aged four to 11.

Midweek indoor sessions will also take place next Monday for the four and five-year-olds from 5pm to 6pm. Next Tuesday, six, seven and eight-year-olds are welcome from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

And on Thursdays, the nine, ten and 11-year-olds are welcome to practise indoors from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

Girls only free indoor coaching sessions have been set up for Fridays from 7pm to 8pm and Saturdays from 10am to 11am.

For more details and an application form, contact Couzens on 01274-491732.