Soccer stalwarts win top awards
Recognition for two unsung heroes
Two unsung heroes from the football scene in Stirling have picked up national awards.
Volunteers Josephine Rodger and Ben Mitchell were honoured as part of the 2018 Scottish FA Grassroots Awards, presented by McDonald’s.
Josephine was crowned best volunteer in youth football, while Ben was top in the best young person category.
The pair won awards at regional level but were crowned overall national winners at a ceremony held at Hampden Park last week.
Josephine is club secretary of Stirling’s Milton AFC, managing behind the scenes of all 23 teams.
A spokesperson for the awards said: “She has shown immense dedication and commitment to the club and works tirelessly to support the club and represent them at various committees.
“Her committed approach to the club allows all the players with the opportunity to play football and develop their skills in a safe and welcoming environment.”
At the ceremony she thanked her family for all their support before accepting her award from Scotland manager Alex McLeish and ladies boss Shelley Kerr.
“The night was superb,” said Josephine. “My mum and husband and two boys Paul and Marc were there too and thoroughly enjoyed it. Alex and Shelley were lovely and it was an honour to meet them.”
It’s the second time Milton have picked up the award with club cofounder Pat Griffin, winning it for adult football in 2013 and then following it up with the inaugural People’s Award.
Josephine became involved at Milton when her eldest son Paul joined the club’s soccer school set up by Willie McCulloch in 2004.
Paul stopped playing when he was 19 and went to Dundee to study sports coaching and his mother says that no doubt being part of Milton influenced his study and career choice.
After landing the regional award in July, she told the Observer: “My youngest son Marc has recently broken through to the Milton team after also having played for Milton from soccer school age. He’s one of the youngest players in the amateur squad and it’s really pleasing to see these young players progress through the full Milton pathway – that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.
“My grandfather was a supporter of Milton in the early days and went to watch them when Paul played as a lad, my dad was a supporter too, so it’s in the blood I suppose!”
Best young person award went to Ben Mitchell who until recently, was one of Stirling Albion Junior Academy’s youngest head coaches and now one of the most qualified.
He has been involved with the club for four years and helped transition of the club’s main teams from seven-aside to 11-a-side, with no loss of players and a growing waiting list.
Throughout his time at the club, Ben has shown a great deal of courage, resilience and willingness to maintain and grow his team and club, leading on improving their junior coaching programme and has just been accepted as an SFA Youth Ambassador.