Dons Player feature about the Community Football Scheme
AFC Wimbledon’s Community Football Scheme (CFS) has gone from strength to strength since it was launched a decade ago and we today feature the achievements of this vital part of the club on Dons Player.
Youth and Community Director Nigel Higgs, who was there from the start in 2003, recalled how AFC Wimbledon has progressed as a true community club and he brought us up to date with plans for the CFS to operate as a charity as the AFC Wimbledon Community Foundation.
“It was in the summer of 2003 when we first started," Nigel said. “One of the priorities was trying to retain Wimbledon Park for community football and I remember that Fulham FC were down there trying to get it as a venue.
“We were standing there telling parents how we were the continuation of Wimbledon and that we wanted to retain a community presence and provide coaching opportunities. Thanks to our hard work and help from volunteers we were able to do that. We still run coaching courses at Wimbledon Park to this day. We have managed to make the CFS successful and we are continuing to grow.”
CFS manager Paul Foley provided an insight into just how his busy department has been able to coordinate 50 hours of coaching a week to 600 children at 15 schools during its peak, along with Saturday morning and holiday courses.
Dons Player subscribers can now watch the interview with Nigel and Paul (pictured left to right respectively in the picture above) on our premium site.