Member Article

Recognition Express West London names Unsung Football Hero

Stephen’s Our Unsung Junior Football Hero

The founder of Fulham based Aspire Junior Football Club Stephen Adams has been named the 2017 Recognition Express Junior Football Club Unsung Hero for the West London area. He wins a new football strip for one of his teams next season.

Out of all the nominations received, judges decided that the 39-year-old Waitrose supermarket manager should be the first recipient of this annual award. Stephen who lives in Fulham set up the club three years ago after a private coaching company he and other parents had been employing ceased trading without letting them know. The club now has over 100 children signed up.

The competition was held by promotional products and branded clothing specialists Recognition Express West London to recognise and reward local people who work behind the scenes at junior football clubs and always go the extra mile for their team.

Explained owner of Recognition Express West London Ed Kennelly: “We wanted to give something back to the community we serve and as we specialise in recognition products, promotional items and branded clothing it makes sense for us to combine donating a new team strip to a local junior football club with recognising an unsung hero.

“We were very impressed by the level of dedication and commitment of all the people described in the entries and it was really hard to choose a winner as everyone deserved the award, but we decided that Stephen’s commitment to the club, combined with the fact that he has inspired so many children in just a few short years just tipped the balance.”

Club secretary Samantha Kelly who nominated Stephen for the award said: “Stephen has dedicated the last three years to building a youth football club that inspires and supports children from the ages of six to 13. Thanks to him and our group of volunteers, children from the local community can get off the streets and enjoy all of the benefits of playing a team sport.

“He spends all of his hours when not at work dedicated to building a safe and fun environment for the children’s social and emotional development.”

On setting up Aspire FC and winning the award Stephen said: “When the replacement coach we hired didn’t turn up, my son and his friends looked so disappointed that I got a football out of my car and it started from there.

“The next week I bought some cones in case the coach didn’t show again and he didn’t so it sort of snowballed from that.

“When I found out I had won the award I was at work and got a bit choked to be honest. It’s really great to be recognised and helped along the way as it isn’t easy running a club but the joy of kids having fun is a brilliant thing to see.”

Ed Kennelly will present Stephen with a personalised trophy on 24 June at the club’s presentation evening.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by LJPR Ltd .