22/07/2026
Some of you may already know that one of our wonderful coaches is hanging up her whistle.
After 11 years with the club, Anne has decided to step down from her coaching role. She has been an integral part of the club’s growth and success, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to coach alongside her for so many years.
With her new teaching role in Durham, it became difficult for Anne to make training each week. Even so, she continued to give up her Saturdays to coach matches, something we were all so grateful for.
Anne will be hugely missed by both our players and coaching team. Personally, I’ll miss our meetings over countless cups of tea and cheese scones, putting the world to rights while somehow managing the impossible task of organising multiple teams so every girl had the chance to play.
Behind the scenes, Anne has dedicated an incredible amount of time to the club. From fixtures and team selections to making sure every player knew where they needed to be, she did it all. Her endless messages (which admittedly became a little more persistent as the week went on!) kept everything running smoothly. Very few people truly understand the time, commitment, patience and occasional frustration that goes into volunteering in grassroots sport, but Anne certainly does.
Thank you, Anne, for everything you’ve given to the club over the past decade. Your dedication, friendship and unwavering commitment have made a lasting impact on so many young players, their families and all of us lucky enough to work alongside you.
I’ll miss you more than you know… although a small part of me can’t help but think you’ll be back one day! Until then, enjoy your Saturdays off. I hope you get plenty of time to relax—but not too much! If you start getting bored, you know exactly where you belong.
And, of course, we’re all keeping our fingers crossed that those knees hold out so you can continue pulling on the dress and playing with us next season. We’d love to have you back on court for many more games yet!
Once part of the team, always part of the team. ❤️🖤🤍