Sussex-based Carol Bates, founder of the Crawley Old Girls (COGs), has been nominated for The Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year Award 2019, and she needs your votes to be in with a chance of winning...

The award celebrates individuals who have actively engaged with different groups of people within their community through sport and Carol has made four-woman shortlist. 

Carol set up COGs, a recreational team for women over the age of 25 in Crawley, five years ago. The aim was to create a welcoming and non-judgemental environment for women to take up or return to football. The club now has more than 100 members and has inspired other clubs to start up in the area, and across the country.

In summer, Bates organised for more than 200 women to play an old girls’ World Cup in France.

Sussex County FA Football Development Officer, Sean Lofting said: “Carol has been instrumental in providing opportunities and improving Women’s football in Sussex.

“To be nominated for such a prestigious award is a fantastic achievement, but to win it would be thoroughly deserved because of the sheer amount of work she has put in, and the lives she has changed for the better through COGs!

“I encourage everyone involved with grassroots football, not just in Sussex, to take just two minutes of their day to please vote for Carol.”
VOTE FOR CAROL

All winners will be announced at the ceremony on November 21 and it’s the opportunity to give women in sport the recognition they deserve.

To find out more about Carol’s story, and the other nominees, visit the Vitality Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year website. 

For further information about women’s football in Sussex please contact: 

Development
T: 01903 766855
E: Development@SussexFA.com