Daventry Town FC Pumas football team is celebrating their tournament win together with the Mayor

Daventry Town FC Pumas football team have been celebrating their Super Six tournament win.

The Mayor of Daventry, Councillor Ted Nicholl, was honoured to attend on July 8-9 and present the winner's medals.

The uner 11s team was invited to Daventry Town Council to attend a council meeting where they gave their support to local football, showed off the cup, and received awards.

Nick Hunter, 42, the Pumas and Cubs football teams’ coach, said:

“They were very very welcoming. The girls were loving it. They got to show the cup and lift it up before each being awarded a bar of Cadbury chocolate from the Mayor himself.”

Nick has been coaching the Daventry Town FC Pumas football team for two seasons now, since March 2021. He attended workshops, including college courses, to ensure that he was giving appropriate training to the girls.

“Just before Covid, my youngest saw an advert on Facebook to join local girls football when Daventry Town was starting it. So she went along, joined the team, and trained with them. Then, for personal reasons, her coaches were unable to carry on with the team,” said Nick, father of three daughters.

The Pumas football team was part of the Northamptonshire Women's and Girls Football League in the first season and the Central Warwickshire Girls Football League in the second season.

With more than 150 players, The Daventry Town FC Women and Girls Super Six tournament showcased players from across the district.

The Pumas football team displayed their new home kit while reaching for the tournament’s finals, after being runners-up in the Dudley Sports FC tournament the week before.

In the six-a-side tournament, The Pumas played six matches against Mawsley FC Girls called The Thundercats Reds, Kingsthorpe Jets, Mawsley Yellows, Willen Girls from Milton Keynes, and Rugby Town FC.

The Pumas advanced to the final against Mawlsey Reds after finishing with the same points and goal difference as the other teams and prevailing on penalties. The Major of Daventry presented the squad with their medals and the trophy.

“That was the first time I got to meet the Mayor and many of the girls did. He was actually fantastic with the girls. He had his photo taken with the team before the tournaments,” said Nick.

The team’s training does not stop over the summer months.

“I think it’s important for the girls to have an outlet and to be active and to continue to socialise,” said Nick.

Training sessions take place every Monday, from 6pm to 7pm, at the Daventry Sports Park grass pitch, with match days every Saturday. The training sessions commencing the next season are set to take place every Wednesday from 6pm to 7pm.

“It’s difficult to get girls in Daventry who play football to come forward,” said Nick.

Daventry Town FC has girls' teams starting from under the age of eight and always want to hear from players looking to join them.

“It’s important to celebrate the achievement. It’s important that children are encouraged to do things that they might find outside their comfort zone but not pressured into doing something they don’t feel comfortable doing,” said Nick.