Badgers chairman Hugh Cannon was delighted
with the co-operation and hoped it would further boost the Badgers'
progress.
He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for our youngsters
to see how senior clubs train and prepare. In addition our boys will
be actively encouraged to watch the senior games."
Dorking director
and vice-chairman Ray Collins said: "We are delighted to be actively
pursuing co-operation with the Badgers and see it as a positive commitment
of our desire to be active in the local community."
Dorking's playing
management team, led by Steve Lunn, are all fully committed to the
scheme.
Lunn said: "Having been part of the team that has discussed
the idea and the initial roll-out for next season, it will be great
to help create a local football pyramid and give kids something back
in terms of football knowledge."
With more than 240 boys playing from
U7 to U16 level, Brockham Badgers is one of the largest Mole
Valley youth footballing set ups.
Dorking's first team play in the
prestigious Ryman League, part of the senior non-league football pyramid
which leads to the Conference and eventually the professional football
leagues.
The partnership is seen as advantageous to both clubs - from
Dorking FC's point of view, the link up gives Dorking an affiliation
with an established boys club.
The aim is to build a strong link between
those boys and the senior side so the teams identify with the senior
football team. It is hoped this will help develop a pool of good local
talent for Dorking's first team in the future.
From Brockham Badgers'
point of view, the link up will bring a number of benefits. As well
as giving the more able squad members something to aspire to.
The
link up will give each squad the chance to train alongside the Dorking
first team on a periodic basis and gain specific coaching and advice
direct from the club's football management team.
Brockham teams will
be invited to these sessions at Meadowbank on a rotation basis while
continuing to use their own footballing coaches, under the supervision
of Badgers' Director of Football Simon Coffey, to run their normal
training sessions.
The link up will also seek to build on each club's
development of local girls football teams.
Dorking has helped pioneer
the development of girls football in Mole Valley and has setup Dorking
Girls FC, catering for ages 9-16, to which new members are very welcome.
Brockham Badgers also have a girls section and Dorking will also be
looking to expand the colts section, who play at the U16-U18 age group
on Sunday mornings.
On the back of Dorking's current kids U16 for
free policy, (when accompanied by a paying adult) which has been run
successfully over a number of seasons and is seen as a great way to
boost attendance at Dorking first team matches, Brockham Badgers teams
will also be offered junior memberships at Dorking FC.
The club already
sees a sizable attendance by children and their parents, and this
will further boost this community club spirit and help develop the
bond between the two clubs.
