As the beginning of the new football season is imminent, we felt it was the perfect time to reflect how last season went for the Church Stretton Magpies.

Here at On-Site we truly believe in supporting grassroots sport, this is why when we were asked to renew our sponsorship for another year, the answer was an easy yes!

Church Stretton Magpies are based in a rural area of Shropshire, last season we learnt of the additional obstacles this can cause the club.

The season was split into half’s, it was the first time the team had been entered into a competitive league, playing other teams across Shropshire. It took a while for the players to find their feet, experiencing a few heavy defeats. This did not damper their spirits they continued to train, bond as a team and work hard. The resilience shown in the run up to Christmas was nothing short of inspiring. Watching young people, train in the cold, wind and rain all wanting to better themselves for their team, this was a steep learning curve that they took into the second half of the season. As the players returned to training following the Christmas break, there was a feeling of optimism within the team. They won 5 games,

their first win was described as a tear jerking moment for everyone. The coaches started to watch the team go from strength to strength, players were wanting to begin playing in their preferred positions and strong friendships were forming.

Due to the rural location of the club, not all the players attend the same school, the club and team provides the children with a social circle outside of their schools, the chance to meet other children from different walks of life. It works as a support network for children who may find school tricky, it has become a football family.

The team have their first preseason friendly this Sunday and we cannot wait to watch these young players thrive, grow and continue to find their love and passion for football.

With numbers increasing each week, they currently sit at having on average 20 players attending training each week, their attitudes are mature beyond their years and their want to improve on last season is ever apparent. From all of us at On-Site, we wish you the best of luck, remember the most important part…….Have fun!