Budding ‘Harry Kanes’ and ‘Chloe Kellys’ in Wallingford & Crowmarsh Football Club have received a boost towards achieving their dream thanks to a new sports fund backed by former England cricketer Darren Gough.
The £75,000 Gigaclear Rural Sports Club Fund aims to support teams based in rural communities across the broadband company’s full-fibre network, which spans 26 counties.
The fund has enabled Wallingford & Crowmarsh FC – a football club based in Wallingford – to purchase a sports camera to help boost player development and team performance.
The club’s commercial manager, Kevin Corrigan, said: “As a local grassroots football club, we rely on volunteers to help us continue to grow and support football across 40 teams and 400 players in our local area. Getting the fund’s support is so important in helping us achieve this, and we are very grateful.
“The sports camera is portable and sits on a tripod during games. It’s simple and quick to set up, and there’s no need for anyone to control the camera during games. Once the game is finished, we just upload the game onto the Veo platform, and their AI automatically detects goals, corners, freekicks, and so much more.
“The camera has become an important tool for the management team, the so we can look at team shape, individual positioning, balance and analyse every aspect of our game to help us learn and improve both as a team and individually. It’s so helpful.”
Fund ambassador Darren Gough said: “Since launching the fund, it has gone from strength to strength, providing valuable support where it is needed most. It’s great to see so much kit and equipment being sent out to rural sports clubs such as Wallingford and Crowmarsh FC. I believe it will help make a difference to players now and to the rural sports teams of the future.”
The club, whose teams play their matches at Wallingford Sports Park, was formed following the amalgamation of Crowmarsh Youth Football Club and Wallingford Town AFC. The club delivers both amateur youth and adult football throughout the town of Wallingford and its surrounding area, including Crowmarsh.
