AFC Bournemouth
More females being involved in football was the topic on the agenda at the Chairman’s Luncheon at AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium – a day after the 100th anniversary commemorating women getting the vote.
More than 50 business delegates gathered in the club’s Bubbles Champagne Lounge for the second such event hosted by Cherries’ chairman Jeff Mostyn and organised by AFC Business, the club’s commercial arm.
They heard keynote speaker, renowned sports administrator Debbie Jevans, talk of her belief that equal opportunity should be the norm and that diversity was better for individuals and organisations.
Debbie, a director of Sport England, the Football League and the Invictus Games and expert adviser to the International Olympic Committee, said: "Diversity is good, a positive thing and should be embraced.
"Although things have changed a lot with women involved in coaching and many more girls playing football, there is much more work to do – I still often find I am the only female in the boardroom."
Debbie, a key member of the London 2012 Olympics organising committee and then chief executive of England Rugby 2015 World Cup, said she got her break following her tennis career when she was mentored in sports admin by Philippe Chartrier, the formidable French head of the International Tennis Federation.
"I only got my chance because I had a male boss who took me under his wing and gave me the initial opportunity. There are talented women out there, people interested in sport who can make a big difference.
"There should be equal opportunity. With the right leadership and if a company or a club has that ambition and genuinely believes it is not impossible to have a diverse, and therefore more representative and effective, board.
"I’m by no means a feminist, but Judy Murray, who I played against, told me ‘if you have a voice you should use it’. That is what I am doing."
Jeff Mostyn said: "We are so proud of our equality programme. As a football club we are totally and utterly committed to equality and we are certainly not just ticking boxes.
"There are very few women in Premier League boardrooms but change will happen and we will be part of that."
Debbie, named the most influential woman in British Sport, praised the work of AFC Bournemouth in removing barriers and insecurities to more women and girls into grassroots football.
"It is all about activity, well-being and understanding the needs of young girls. There is talent out there and AFC Bournemouth is providing a wonder pyramid to encourage this."
Table-topping Cherries Ladies first team captain Sian Tilly was in the audience to hear the club’s head of community Steve Cuss outline the incredible growth in women’s football since the men’s team won Premier League status in 2015.
AFC Bournemouth now have two senior teams and four junior sides providing a pathway for all players to reach their potential and an outreach programme reaching 300 people a week with 12 girls only sessions.
He said: "We were delighted to bring the ladies team back in-house and establish a pathway where a young female player or anyone interested can participate. It is all about creating the right environment for female players from five years old to first teamers."
The club last week staged its first under-11 girls’ football tournament with 245 10-year-olds from 30 schools taking part.
Jeff added: "I often say that together anything is possible and I would like to praise the great strides Steve Cuss and his team have made. Their work has been just incredible.
"Young girls can aspire to be a footballer and AFC Bournemouth is providing a dream and a vision for them to do just that. It would be fantastic if we were one day in the Women's Super League."
The event was sponsored by Official Partner of the business club, Hill Osborne. Thank you for your continued support.
AFC Business is AFC Bournemouth’s free-to-join business club which offers a host of benefits to its 1,600 members, such as attendance at regular events and breakfast networking meetings and enables the club to maintain a high profile in the business community.
The next event is the AFC Business Breakfast on Wednesday, March 14, at 7.30am at Vitality Stadium.
For details about the breakfast and AFC Business see www.afcb.co.uk/commercial-and-afc-business/afc-business
