Saints women cash in
FROM BACK PAGE our future. It also gives our players a huge confidence boost. The women’s game often feels quite fragile, with teams sometimes struggling just to survive.
“This tells our players, sponsors and other businesses we are here to stay. That’s a very welcome feeling after tough years.”
Cooper is delighted to be working even more closely with Kibble, who are partowners of St Mirren FC alongside the St Mirren Independent Supporters Trust (SMiSA).
She hopes the club can help even more youngsters in Renfrewshire reap the benefits of football, with current player Kirsty Ross an employee with the charity that helps children and young people recover from trauma through care, support, education and employment.
Cooper said: “Kibble are already heavily involved in the St Mirren family and we can’t wait to expand that relationship further.
“One of our main aims is for our women to be examples and role models for young girls and we can give more girls that opportunity.
“Sport can bridge the gaps some young people face. It gives them an environment where there’s no judgement, just a space to be the best you can be.
“It’s a great boost for all our players but especially Kirsty, who has had a very long career with Kibble and is now their activity coordinator. It shows that they recognise her hard work and the role model she has become.”
Mark Macmillan, director of corporate services at Kibble, feels the charity’s sponsorship of the women’s team marks the next step in their growing partnership.
He added: “We recognise the valuable role played by St Mirren Women’s and Girls’ Academy in motivating a younger generation of players and we want to support the work they do.
“We aim to support the team’s aspirations and encourage more girls to join the youth team and hopefully progress through to the women’s team.
“We want to help St Mirren to continue to provide firstclass youth development and further increase opportunities for young people to enjoy sport and fitness, experiencing the benefits of regular exercise while learning about skills in teamwork, patience and problem-solving.”