Lauren - Chair

Lauren is the Chair of the Lincolnshire FA Youth Council.

She is a confident and positive young person that is hoping to inspire other young people in football and other walks of life.

Lauren plays football for a team in Lincoln. Last season, she was voted her Club’s Person of the Year. 

Currently studying for her Level 3 Personal training qualification at college, Lauren is hoping to join the RAF as a Personal Training Instructor or a Mental Health Nurse. With College, she is on the College Council, a newly elected student member of the College’s Board, and also competes nationally at Cross Country.

With her aspirations to be in the RAF, she is a member of the Air Cadets, currently holding the rank of Sergeant. She is currently the Trent Wing and Regional Sports cadet of the year, competing in sports, such as football, cross country, athletics, hockey and netball.

Lauren is also completing the 2022 FA Leadership Academy Scheme. Through this, Lauren is developing a project to increase young people's confidence through football. This will allow them to not only improve on the pitch, but also learn new skills to take into their everyday life.

Through her love of sports, Lauren has completed the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and is currently in the process of achieving her Gold award. She is a Level 2 Sports Leader, which allows her to coach multiple sports to children.

Tom – Vice-Chair 

Tom is the Vice-Chair of the Youth Council.

Tom has always played football and loved being around the game. In 2019, he was part of the Carre’s Grammar School football team that won the ESFA National Cup at the Manchester City Academy Stadium. In recent years, and due to his job role, he has taken much more interest in coaching and developing football within the county. He has led on Sleaford Wildcats projects and is involved in a number of junior football clubs.

He joined the Youth Council because it was recommended to him through a fellow coach. He is passionate about giving young people a voice in how football. He also wants to ensure that Girls Football is promoted as much as possible, due to his personal experience of the challenges that are faced when trying to develop girls’ involvement in football. He has an interest in the development of facilities within Lincolnshire and how these facilities can be best used. 

Ethan – Youth Committee Project Lead

Ethan is the Youth Council’s Youth Committee Project Lead.

Ethan has been involved in football from a young age, starting off by playing before deciding to make a change and become a referee. In August 2019, he qualified as a referee, a role he is very passionate about. As he turns 18, he is just beginning his promotion journey to progress within his refereeing career, whilst refereeing both in the male and female game.

Ethan is also just about to embark on a journey to a rewarding career, by starting his Bachelor of Laws degree. This is as a result of a successful and rewarding education at Caistor Grammar School. Ethan has a keen interest in supporting youth voices across the county, especially when it comes to referees. This is part of the reason why he has opted to take up the role of Youth Committees Lead, with the aim of supporting the foundation of youth committees in clubs, leagues, and referee associations across the county.

Amaya – Media and Marketing Lead

Amaya is the Youth Council’s Media and Marketing Lead.

Amaya started playing football at a young age - always being the only girl on a boy’s team. As she grew up, she went on to play for Lincoln Griffins, Boston United before playing for Notts County u18s.

Amaya has just finished sixth form at Lincoln Minster school where she studied English literature, PE and Drama. In September Amaya will start at the Oxford School of Drama.

While at school Amaya was the first girl to play for the football team. She then went on to create her own girl’s football club to give more girls opportunities to play. She achieved the sports leaders award in hope to inspire more young people within sport.

Amaya has a massive interest in how football can be used to help others and bring people together and wants to use this during her time in the Lincolnshire FA Youth Council.

Millie - Secretary

Millie has had a passion for football for many years, firstly playing as a child and then finding a passion for coaching during school.

She is currently in her third year studying for a Sport Development and Coaching degree at the University of Lincoln, where she has gained experience coaching a variety of age groups as well as playing both football and futsal for the University.

Millie is a Level 1 Qualified Football Coach and has a passion for promoting participation in the sport, especially providing opportunities for girls in a male-dominated sport. 

Alex

Alex has been involved in football from a young age, starting as a player before beginning the transition into a coach at the age of 15. Alex first started his coaching journey by assisting with various age groups before taking the opportunity to manage his own team at the age of 18. 

Alex is currently working towards achieving his next set of coaching qualifications with the aim of securing a position working in football. Alex joined the Youth Council to promote youth football across the county and provide a voice to young footballers.

Michelle

Michelle has been involved in football for over 6 years as a player. She is currently playing at a semi-professional level for Lincoln City Women’s Football Club.

Michelle is passionate about the development of young people and believes football is a great tool to develop young people, because it teaches life skills such as discipline and team work. Michelle hopes to start her coaching career soon. Michelle has worked for organisations such as the National Citizen Service, YMCA Lincolnshire and Camp America, whereby she engaged young people through varies sports and activities.

Michelle has joined the Lincolnshire youth council to advocate for young people in football to make it as enjoyable for young people as possible.

Kelsey

Kelsey started playing football at the age of 5 and has always had a passion for football. Starting in grassroots football at Cranwell F.C U6 boys’ team, Kelsey went onto play for the Lincoln City Centre of Excellence at the age of 9. Kelsey then went onto represent Lincolnshire County Schools, before going on to play for Nottingham Forest and Leicester City’s Development teams as she entered senior football at the age of 16. 

Kelsey has used her years of experience to succeed in various roles within the FA. During her 3 years at Northumbria University studying BSc Sports Coaching, she took up roles as a youth football coach, coaching girls aged 4-16yrs. At the same club Kelsey became the clubs Women and Girls Football development officer, tripling the size of the girls’ sector across only two seasons, going from 4 girls’ teams in 2019, to 12 teams in 2021. Developing her experience further, Kelsey then went on to become Newcastle United Academy and U23’s Video & Performance Analyst. 

Returning back to Lincolnshire, Kelsey aims to develop the opportunities girls are provided with, through football. Kelsey is currently training as a Primary School Teacher. Alongside her studies, she also plays for Sleaford Town Ladies. Through her passion of developing girls’ football in Lincolnshire, Kelsey is working alongside Sleaford Town to develop the girls and youth sector at the club, providing the youth teams with a pathway, helping to give youth players experiences they will remember, provide them with role models at the club, and give them a vision to allow them to strive to represent the women’s senior team in the future.