East Riding FA More Than Just Football Award

The East Riding FA More Than Just Football Award is awarded quarterly and celebrates the clubs, leagues and volunteers who are doing extraordinary things. They set the bar high and do more than just football.

The winner of the first ever More Than Just Football Award is Nicola Hinchsliff from Springhead FC.

Nikki is the Club Welfare Officer for Springhead FC as well as Treasurer and Club Secretary. Roles which are integral to the running of a safe and sustainable grassroots football club.

Despite the Club Welfare Officer role being mandatory it is a role which is often depicted as not being the most attractive. However the role is crucial in making sure that the playing and training environment at any grassroots football clubs is as safe and fun as possible. 

As Club Welfare Officer Nikki is responsible for ensuring all club officials are compliant and that any relevant safeguarding qualifications are in place and in date. Nikki is also responsible for ensuring that any poor practice concerns within the club are addressed, investigated and escalated if required. 

Along with the club committee Nikki has addressed any concerns or complaints brought to her attention with empathy, professionalism and integrity and provides a fantastic example to other Club Welfare officer about how to operate in the role. Nikki has also worked closely with the East Riding FA and other children’s agencies proficiently to protect children and young people.

Springhead FC currently boasts over 20 teams and over 300 individuals of all ages playing at every level of football from their U6 academy through to Veterans football. They also provide football for both males and females and pride themselves on being able to provide football for nearly every member of their community. The work Nikki has undertaken as Club Secretary has been crucial to this success with the club one of only a few in the county to be awarded England Football 2 Star Accreditation. 

Nikki has also been instrumental with ground improvements which have recently being made at their Springhead Lane site with the club now able to offer a football facility which will stand the club in good stead for years to come. 

Nikki Hinchsliff gives up so much of her own personal time to enable so many others to enjoy grassroots football within a safe and inclusive environment. She has taken on roles which require a significant amount of time and effort to be spent on them and takes pride in the fact that Springhead FC is a club which continues to serve the community. This award recognises the hard work that is done away from the football field so that when people train, play or coach it is in the best possible environment. 

Nikki will now receive a nomination for Unsung Hero Award at the 2022 FA and McDonalds Grassroots Football Awards.

If you know a club, league or individual that deserves recognition then please click here and nominate them for an East Riding FA Award.