TAVISTOCK Girls Football Club has not just one, but two reasons to celebrate this month, after scooping a prestigious award and top level recognition of its standards.
Manager of the club Sue Hammond was last week awarded the Devon female senior coach of the year award at a VIP evening in Torquay and the club has also been presented with the Football Association Charter Standard.
Sue, who formed Tavistock Girls Football Club three years ago, was presented with her award by the mayor of Torbay.
She was nominated for the honour by Ryan Thomas, the Devon Active sports development officer for girls football.
Sue said: 'He nominated me because I set up the club, he knows I do all the courses and keep myself upgraded — I also coach Tavistock Town U14 boys and local schoolchildren.'
Sue said she was 'very nervous' during the presentation.
'My legs went when I realised I'd won it,' she said. 'I really felt chuffed because it's not just football, it's all sports.'
And now the girls' club has been awarded the highly-regarded charter standard by the FA.
Sue said she believed the club is one of the first in the area to be recognised in this way.
'It's a lot of hard work to apply for it. I had to do a complete development plan for the club, which I'd never done before, setting targets for every year, I had to computerise all the books — there was a lot to do.
'Our aim is provide a safe and friendly environment for the girls and in attaining this award, it shows we are a caring, organised and well established football club.'