Pumpherston - Educated Pass Initiative

Players from Pumpherston United's under 14 squad attended the first of a series of planned Educated Pass Initiative sessions that involves Initiative members working with the players to highlight education pathways using football as a theme. Joe Meloy, the Widening Participation Officer from the University of Edinburgh attended the first session in order to introduce the Educated Pass Initiative to the players and explain what lies ahead for them.

The Educated Pass Initiative aims to give players an insight into College and University life and introduces the importance of having skills and a good level of Education to fall back on should a career in the competitive world of a professional football player not be realised. The timing of the initiative could not be better for the Pumpherston United students as further education choices are currently the topic of conversation at most secondary schools for these 13 year olds.....more

Pumpherston United

East Livingston and East Calder Councillor Frank Anderson recently visited Pumpherston United FC to present the club with an Access Level award in West Lothian Council's Community Sports Club Development Scheme.

Kevin McGuigan, Club Chairman stated "Pumpherston United Football Club are very proud to have achieved this award and everyone associated with the club is delighted to have achieved what is seen as the first step on the road for the development of our club".
The Club achieved the accreditation following a recent inspection by a West Lothian Council Cultural Services representative. The certification confirms that following inspection throughout the Club, we have demonstrated appropriate levels of efficiency in Child Protection, Good Coaching Practice, Club Management and First Aid.

Kevin continued "The acknowledgement also stands as a testament to all the hard work put in so far by all the coaches and officials of Pumpherston United Football Club. I'd like to thank those associated with the Club for their support and also West Lothian Council for taking the time to come and visit us".

Pumpherston United run a Soccer School for players aged 5 to 12 and three teams within the 1995, 1997 and 1998 age groups. The club have recently launched their own website to enable players, parents, guardians, members and anyone with an interest in the Club to keep up to date with all the latest news and events, ask questions of the committee and coaches or leave feedback. www.pumpherston-united.co.uk for more or email feedback@pumpherston-united.co.uk

Let them play Campaign

  Imagine the scene now, it is a Saturday or Sunday at the local football park in your area and the touchlines are full of spectators but the air is silent,  coaches are able to talk to their players and players talked to their teammates, but there was almost no interaction between the players and those on the sidelines.
Are we dreaming? This is certainly not a common reality on the sidelines at Scottish grassroots football games and Scotland faces a number of challenging social issues which are now overflowing into youth football such as;

Continual shouting and instruction from the sidelines

·   Violence on the touchline

·  ‘win at all costs’ mentality

·   Many children, coaches and parents having negative experiences of youth football

As well as several other issues, together, these factors contribute to increasing numbers of young players, parents and coaches having bad experiences. Many drop out or leave as a result and are deprived of their opportunity to learn those vital character building lessons which football can provide.
To address these issues all the children and youth football associations in the South East Region have teamed up in partnership with the Scottish FA and the Positive Coaching Scotland organisation  to launch a unique, innovative and exciting new cultural change programme that aims to raise the awareness of these problems and begin to put in measures to support clubs to address these issues.........More

Jock Adamson
 The WLAYFC are deeply saddened by the passing today 2nd February at 11.30 of our valued life time member John Adamson (Jock), Jock sadly passed away while on holiday in Portugal, Jock was heavily involved with Murieston United. Been involved with the SYFA since 1999 taking on various roles including assistant Match Secretary to the late Tom Young and serving on Regional Committees, Jock was a valued member of the WLAYFC in the various roles he took on board and without the commitment that he gave to the Association West Lothian Youth Football would not be as healthy as it is today
He will be sadly missed
Iain Shaw
Association Secretary

Murieston United CFC
  Murieston Utd committee members have been busy at awards ceremonies over the last few weeks as the club have recently been presented with both the SFA Quality Mark and West Lothian Council Club Accreditation awards. Both awards were made at development level thereby making Murieston Utd the first club in West Lothian to be granted this status. These awards are a fitting tribute to the late Jock Adamson whose tireless efforts were a major factor in the club meeting the standards required. Murieston Utd are now looking to progress to the SFA Quality Mark Community award – a standard so far achieved in South East Region only by Spartans FC