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Marie-Madeleine Remoleur
Published on
Nov. 3, 2024 at 8:30 a.m.
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“If I had started Football in a club like that, I would have felt much more fulfilled,” recognizes Laurène Le Naveaux. President of the Houlgatais Féminin Football Club, the one who started practicing six years ago does not hide her desire to continue to grow sportingly and humanly this club born in March 2023. “It’s the only 100% female club in Calvados », she recalls with pride.
From 18 monthslife resumed said Roger Gardin. On the lawn of the Houlgatais fieldtraining sessions follow one another, and in the clubhouse, there is no shortage of moments of conviviality and sharing. A place of sport and lifeadvocating solid values written on the clubhouse wall: family, cohesion, fervor, humility. “The values that we can convey in everyday life are also those on the ground, everything is linked,” considers the president.
“Here, all the money goes to the girls”
Launched by Grégory Marcy and Arnaud Richardtwo educators with rich experience, this club has one goal, that of place girls at the heart of the structure“in a setting that is totally dedicated to them”, and to allow them “to have a place to live and training that is only for them”.
After 18 months of existence, the club now has approximately 70 licensees. “The goal is to reach 100 next year,” insists the president. Players from 6 to 45 years old. “We have all age categories, from U11 to seniors, with teams competing in the U11, U15 and senior championships,” explains Laurène. 25% of our players come from Houlgate and the community of communes, and the others are from the surrounding area, from the Côte Fleurie and the Pays d’Auge.” An area where, however, other clubs have a women's section. “We have several players who are there with us because it’s an only women’s football club,” explains Laurène who lists the benefits of such a structure : “there are the locker rooms, the support conditions, the way in which the educators coach. All of this plays a big role, especially for me.”
Oh FCFH, « all the money goes to the girls » and the dynamic team that takes care of the club makes it a golden rule. “Our mission is to restore the image of the place we offer to women's football in certain clubs, to show that here, we have the means and equipment who are there only for them. A girl who signs for Houlgate has the same thing as a boy who signs for the flag team of another club,” insists Grégory Marcy, educator and sports manager, who gives the example of the very complete equipment included in the license. “It shows them thatwe put resources in place for themand also allow all players to be dressed the same during training, regardless of the social situation of the families,” adds Arnaud Richard, one of the deputy presidents with Céline Fontenaud, also very involved.
Beyond sport, a place for sharing
« We are not only sports coaches, we are also educators », repeats Grégory Marcy, recalling that the sports association transmits values and helps build self-confidence so that girls can truly flourish, without being afraid of the gaze of others.”
Beyond the sporting aspect, particularly with the objective of developing its senior team, people guide all of the club's projects… in the long term. Like homework school offered in the clubhouse on Wednesdays. Picked up by different members of the club, the young girls have lunch together then start doing homework, before putting on their crampons and continuing with their training. “The goal is to encourage homework help, but above all mutual assistance between thembetween girls of different generations”, explains the president who continues: “in addition to homework help, in this clubhouse which has been renovated we also have board games, coloring, meals, broadcasts matches and other entertainment. We want them to take over this place to make it a real place to live and sharethat they feel good there, that they flourish.”
Listing the outings and extra-football activities offered in recent months, as well as the club's investment for example for Pink October, Laurène insists:
We are not just a football club that plays matches. Besides, there are lots of things that are done to keep girls busy, create bonds with each other and grow up following values.
Expand the family
Always with the desire to create sharing around sportthe club will launch at the start of the school year a football-health section. The opportunity to find new licensees, sometimes far from sports practice, and to expand the family of the Football Club Féminin Houlgatais. “This is an important element for us because it allows to attract new people who want to get involved in the club so that it can continue to grow,” explain Laurène and Grégory, who give the example of missions such as running the refreshment bar on match days or helping with homework.
“It’s all very virtuous, all of that creates additional links between generationslife in and around the club,” considers Laurène, who hopes to strengthen the great enthusiasm that is building around this unique club in the department. “We want to continue to liven up this club and bring people around the pitch on match days so that it becomes a real meeting place… like in other stadiums.”
More information about the club on Facebook and Instagram of the “Football Club Féminin Houlgatais”.
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