HAVE you ever wanted to know what it is like to stand in front of a cheering crowd and see your team romp to a great victory before being carried off on the shoulders of your team as a hero?

Or to take a group of unruly kids, mould them into an efficient and disciplined football team and see the grins on all their faces?

Have you decided this was not possible because you are a woman and there is just not a place for you in football? Well not anymore.

Women across the country are being invited to join in the football revolution and become coaches with the Mums on the Ball campaign, after a special launch in Tiptree.

Coaching experts and footballing legends alike are encouraging women to get involved in grassroots football to help make the sport available to everyone.

The nationwide programme came to Thurstable School, Tiptree, with a special visit from legend Sir Geoff Hurst, to sign mums up to free coaching courses in conjunction with McDonald’s and the FA.

The scheme is supported by some of the biggest names in football, including Geoff Hurst in England, Kenny Dalglish in Scotland, Ian Rush in Wales and Pat Jennings in Northern Ireland. There are about 163 places available.

It is hoped a mother’s power to encourage, enthuse and support their children can be harnessed and help develop mums into quality coaches for the community, such as businesswoman and mother Cherry Lewis-Taylor. At the launch she spoke about her journey from being a major in the Royal Artillery to running three McDonald’s franchises and her work to support women’s football, including this scheme.

In 1996 and with two young children, Cherry left the Army and decided to take on a McDonald’s franchise in Braintree. She now runs another in Maldon and one in South Woodham Ferrers, with about 180 staff in total.

She also very quickly got involved with Sporting 77 FC in Braintree.

She said: “I love it. I have been involved in football in Braintree for about 12 years.

“We have started to develop girls’ football and we now have two teams. I got them on the pitch at Wembley before the FA Community Shield, which has encouraged mothers to get more involved.”

In 2002, she became the president of marketing for McDonald’s for grassroots football and since then has been keen to encourage more women to get involved.

Her children, 18-year-old Elspeth and 16-year-old Mark support her and now with courses, such as Mums on the Ball, her hard work is starting to pay off.

She said: “We have about 163 places nationally, which is not a lot, but we start small and then get bigger.

“It has been lovely to see it develop in my own club and I would love to see more women come in.

“I am very proud of what I have achieved and anything that encourages people to live an active lifestyle is very good.”

You do not have to be a mum to be involved as it is open to all women of any age.

So far, more than 200 women have graduated from the programme.

If you want to find out more, call the Essex FA’s women’s and girls development officer Sharon Brownlie on 01245 393074 or e-mail sharon.brownlie @essexfa.com or call Emma Burden on 01245 393076 or e-mail emma.

burden @essexfa.com