Camden Sports: Hampstead Football Club

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Camden New Journal - by STEVE BARNETT
Published: 16 October 2008

1,001 – a youth football odyssey!

Ambitious club aiming to recruit 400 more players within the next three years

HAMPSTEAD Football Club are set to cement their place as one of the biggest youth set-ups in the country after unveiling plans to almost double the number of players at the club within the next three years.
With more than 600 footballers already on the books, club officials are hoping to sign-up another 400 youngsters from across Camden and Islington in an ambitious attempt to start the 2011 season with 1,001 players.
When asked why such an exact figure was put in place instead of stopping at the 1,000 mark, Hampstead chairwoman Diane Culligan simply replied: “Why 1,001? Because there’s always room for one more.”
She added: “Our objective is to keep kids off the streets, and in doing so give them the chance to train, keep fit and develop new friendships.
“The kids also learn to appreciate discipline, and the rewards this can bring in later life. We have experienced very marked changes in behavioural patterns of those joining our club, which comes as a direct result of the kids focusing on something they have an interest in.
“This is why our 1,001 Objective is so important to us, and the community.”
Hampstead have continued to go from strength to strength since launching their development academy almost two years ago.
It is based at Haverstock School in Chalk Farm and started out with just 16 players aged between five and eight.
Now there are more than 100 youngsters involved in the programme, including players as young as just three years old.
A large majority of the players will go on to graduate into one of the 32 teams that Hampstead have competing in various leagues, including the Camden and Islington Youth League at Market Road.
In a bid to continue Hampstead’s rapid growth, director of football Mike Powell is hoping to beat the credit crunch and find funds to bolster the “1,001 Objective” campaign.
He said: “We hope to attract a large sponsor to the club to help maintain the growth pattern. Our exposure and continued success warrants interest from companies, even during this period of economic concern.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about Hampstead Football Club should contact Mike Powell on 07812 018 113 or via email mp.powell@btinternet.com

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