Tenby AFC, in the close season, became the first football club in Pembrokeshire to be awarded the coveted 'Clwb Cymru' award for excellence in junior sports clubs.
The award recognises the club as a 'model club', against standards set down by their governing body (the FA of Wales), together with the Sports Council for Wales who worked in conjunction with the Sports Development Department of Pembrokeshire County Council.
Standards achieved by the club included setting up five new teams last season, including some 78 new players, to bring the total junior players, both male and female, at the club to around 300. The club now runs 14 teams, including two senior male, senior ladies, under 14 girls, under 18, 16, 14 and 13 boys, and under 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 and under 7 teams.
The club has 20 qualified 'Junior Leaders', six qualified referees, one qualified UEFA 'A' coach (Angela Nicholls), plus three further coaches who are currently working hard on their UEFA 'C' qualification (Steve Maytum, Deryn Brace and Steve Briers).
The club has 15 qualified 'first aiders', three qualified goalkeeper coaches, while a further seven coaches will be attending a specialised FAW goalkeeper coaching course later this month.
Last season, the club had 41 players attending the Welsh FA 'Centre of Local Dvelopment', 11 attended the Centre of Regional Excellence, 18 players had the honour of playing for Pembrokeshire, while three players attended Welsh trials, with two players (Nicola Aston and Carrie Slack) gaining international honours.
A grant received from the Sports Council has enabled the club to purchase additional much needed equipment such as mini goals, balls, training bibs etc., together with first aid equipment and assisting with the fees of coach training courses attended.
The club is indebted for all the assistance received, and wish to thank Pembrokeshire Football Development Officer, Gerry Rigby, for all his support while the club was working towards the award.
Thanks also go to all players, coaches and indeed parents, whose continuing efforts should see the club continue to flourish.
Gerry Rigby said: "I am delighted to have been involved in assisting Tenby over the last 12 months to achieve the levels of excellence stated. Other clubs in Pembrokeshire have been targeted to join the scheme, which can only bring benefits to junior football in Tenby.