Emma plucked up the courage to come along by herself and join us and has not only inspired but has helped others with their football, too.

Here’s Emma’s story:

“I had a stomach full of butterflies but I made myself go and it has turned out to of been one of the best decisions of my life”

I first started to play football in my back garden with a friend, we would play most weekends and after school but I never got the chance to play in a team. I would go and watch him play when he had a weekend match and stand on the side lines just wishing I could join in.

Fast forward to the end of December 2018, it is the time of year when you start thinking about new year resolutions, and that was exactly what I was doing. I had decided that I wanted to do something for myself, I have two children and they were just at the age where they were becoming more independent and I could start thinking about me again. I had two questions that I was asking myself, firstly, “what would I really like to do?” and second “what could I do that would give me a bit of me time?” The answer was sport, I already went out running and swimming when I could and rock climbed but these are all individual sports and I wanted to be part of a team, feel part of a group something I hadn’t had probably since leaving university. I thought back to my youth and some of my fondest memories were of me playing football with my friends. So I googled Football for older women and was really surprised to see that COGS appeared and that it was based in Crawley.

Not being the most confident of people I gathered myself together and took the plunge, holding my breath I hit the send button as I sent Carol a message. I was so amazed that within minutes I had a reply inviting me along to the next training session. Now I was full of mixed emotions, firstly sheer terror at what I had just committed myself to and excitement with the real prospect of being able to play and take part in a sport that I had only played in my back garden with jumpers as goal posts.

As the inevitable day grew closer the thought of not going and forgetting about it did cross my mind more than once. After all I was going to be going by myself and playing on an actual football pitch with a coach and other players. I had a stomach full of butterflies but I made myself go and it has turned out to of been one of the best decisions of my life, I only wish I had found out about COGS earlier. Everyone was so welcoming, I was included into the group straight away and by the end of the session it was like I had been part of COGS for a lot longer than just one hour, I had even managed to score a goal it was fair to say I had had a great time.

However, when the time came round for the next training session those nerves and feelings of lack of confidence and doubt crept back up again and I was thinking twice about going back. I had thoughts going through my head like, they won’t remember me and what if no-one talks to me. Thankfully I made it back and I was proved so wrong. As I walked through the gate and onto the football pitch for the second time I heard multiple voices saying “Hi Emma, you came back, nice to see you again”.  My immediate thought was, “wow they remembered my name”. A warm feeling spread through my body and a smile appeared on my face, my nerves vanished immediately.

Joining COGS really has been one of the best decisions in my life and a turning point for my self-confidence and self-esteem, even though I am still one of the quieter people there inside I feel amazing. The other ladies who go are so welcoming and friendly and just except you for who you are. Thank You COGS.