Gavin Logan, winner of the 'Children's Champion' award in the Proud of Barnsley Awards 2019

Gavin Logan, winner of the 'Children's Champion' award in the Proud of Barnsley Awards 2019

As secretary to the Barnsley & District Junior Football League, I was honoured to receive two amazing awards in 2019. In June I received the HALLAM FM HERO AWARD for CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN BOTH YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE.  Supporting young up and coming boys and girls wanting to develop football skills in their local communities. This was soon followed in August 2019 receiving THE PROUD OF BARNSLEY AWARD - CHILDRENS CHAMPION. Both awards came as a total shock to me, however, I could not have achieved either of these awards without the talented team of volunteers I have supporting both myself and the league, these awards go to show how much we have achieved and just how far we have come.

We formed the league on July 7th, 2015, affiliating to the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA and now we have just celebrated our 8^th birthday. We continue to offer both organized and structured grassroots junior football for ages from Under 7 to Under 11. We have all been affected with the Covid-19 Pandemic, a very surreal time for everyone throughout the world. An exceedingly challenging time for all of us, with the initial lockdown forcing us to have to void the 2019/20 season, also having to inform everyone was very difficult and heart wrenching yet we continue to amaze ourselves. Just like on a football pitch, we are all fighters and all winners as we will not be beaten, if anything, this has made us even stronger, so its onwards and upwards, this is testament to how much our teams have enjoyed participation in the league.

We have an extraordinary strong and committed management team in place, all working together to grow the League. Our aim is to be one of the best leagues in Yorkshire, although I continue to believe as does my management team that we are already. We all want the same thing, share the same goals and love what we do. Without these guys I/we would not be where we are today. I do not want to single any one person out as what we have is A GREAT TEAM again giving us the strength, all are working together, and as I have already said, I cannot say it enough, I am so proud of everyone involved to have an association with these guys, long may it continue.

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