Cornwall Women's League

[Guest]

Gerans James commented in Cornish Soccer how he'd like to see a competitive Women's League for his daughter to play in. Quite rightly several people came forward to point out that Cornwall does have one.

This season 13 games have been "walkovers" - one team not being able to raise a team. One of those was today where Illogan were declared champions without kicking a ball as Mulion couldn't raise a team. Having watched Mullion a few times, if they have eight players, they'll play and they will try which is good to see.

St Breward have 'played' four away games. It's a bit of a loose term as of those games, they only actually played one, and lost 0-13. The others, they couldn't raise a team. Mullion and St Breward occupy the bottom two places in the league and have won one apiece technically against each other. Mullion couldn't raise a team to go to St Breward and Saints couldn't raise a team for the reverse fixture. 

I don't really know the point to this post but it would be good if matches could be played!

[Guest]

Also a game last week was abandoned at half time/42 minutes and the result allowed to stand - I thought 2/3 of the game had to be played?

Falmouth v Mabe today was also abandoned for reasons as yet unknown.

Congratulations to Illogan by the way.

[ECPL]

It is interesting to see that the Cornwall League has ten teams, a long way from when they had two divisions of a similar amount but you must remember that there are five – Charlestown, Callington Town, Illogan RBL, Newquay Celtic and Launceston all playing at a higher level. So it is not as bad as it may look as just two seasons ago there was only seven teams in the county league. Yes Cornwall has lost teams such as Torpoint Athletic, St Dominick, Penzance, St Blazey, Dobwalls, Liskeard Athletic, Kilkhampton, Marazion, Hayle, Trevinson, Camelford, Roche, Bodmin Town, West Cornwall, Saltash United and top clubs such as Newquay and Truro City in the last five or six years, but the league are doing a fantastic job in helping to keep the league going. It is all to easy to criticise but the female game is still only able to continue at the behest of the men's teams.

So what is the answer. Is it money, facilities, coaching, lack of committee personnel or just lack of players. Having written about the sport for some time now the ever increasing theme is that once teams start up and have a number of players, they are unable to replace many of them because many go off to university, find other interests or have to work in the leisure industry on a Sunday or the people running the club such as managers cannot continue especially if their children give up the sport. It also seems many clubs who set up do not have the structure to keep a club going and it is here where the league and the county can help. Cornwall is not a big county neither does it have many large towns with good sized populations. This makes it difficult for a small town or village to set up a team. Girls are encouraged to play at schools but as in the male game there is a drop off once a player reaches mid to late teens. There is also the cost of running a team, once a club pays for insurance, league fees and travelling costs it finds that it has very little opportunity of gaining funds. This means the money has to come from players subs and the people who actually run the team. There is no bottomless money pit. The success of England at the recent World Cup has not had the knock on effect at the lower level of the game. This is a shame but as in the male game times are becoming more difficult such as the cost of referees.

There is food for thought although I see the female game continuing to grow but slowly. 

[ex-chairman]

Has anyone attempted to start up any youth football lately and found there is any real help available from "above"  The F.A have spent millions preaching about respect, futsal, girls football and no doubt other extravaganza while grassroots and facilities are overlooked. Problem starts at the top and filters right down through.