Badgers chairman Hugh Cannon was delighted with the co-operation and hoped it would further boost the Badgers' progress. He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for our youngsters to see how senior clubs train and prepare. In addition our boys will be actively encouraged to watch the senior games."
Dorking director and vice-chairman Ray Collins said: "We are delighted to be actively pursuing co-operation with the Badgers and see it as a positive commitment of our desire to be active in the local community."
Dorking's playing management team, led by Steve Lunn, are all fully committed to the scheme. Lunn said: "Having been part of the team that has discussed the idea and the initial roll-out for next season, it will be great to help create a local football pyramid and give kids something back in terms of football knowledge."
With more than 240 boys playing from U7 to U16 level, Brockham Badgers is one of the largest Mole Valley youth footballing set ups. Dorking's first team play in the prestigious Ryman League, part of the senior non-league football pyramid which leads to the Conference and eventually the professional football leagues.
The partnership is seen as advantageous to both clubs - from Dorking FC's point of view, the link up gives Dorking an affiliation with an established boys club. The aim is to build a strong link between those boys and the senior side so the teams identify with the senior football team. It is hoped this will help develop a pool of good local talent for Dorking's first team in the future. From Brockham Badgers' point of view, the link up will bring a number of benefits. As well as giving the more able squad members something to aspire to. The link up will give each squad the chance to train alongside the Dorking first team on a periodic basis and gain specific coaching and advice direct from the club's football management team. Brockham teams will be invited to these sessions at Meadowbank on a rotation basis while continuing to use their own footballing coaches, under the supervision of Badgers' Director of Football Simon Coffey, to run their normal training sessions.
The link up will also seek to build on each club's development of local girls football teams. Dorking has helped pioneer the development of girls football in Mole Valley and has setup Dorking Girls FC, catering for ages 9-16, to which new members are very welcome. Brockham Badgers also have a girls section and Dorking will also be looking to expand the colts section, who play at the U16-U18 age group on Sunday mornings.
On the back of Dorking's current kids U16 for free policy, (when accompanied by a paying adult) which has been run successfully over a number of seasons and is seen as a great way to boost attendance at Dorking first team matches, Brockham Badgers teams will also be offered junior memberships at Dorking FC. The club already sees a sizable attendance by children and their parents, and this will further boost this community club spirit and help develop the bond between the two clubs. |
