Sports Team of the Year

In 1979, an 18-year old Pete Goodlad set up a junior football team called Athersley North Juniors. More than 30 years later, and after a name change to Athersley Recreation, the club has undergone a transformation of epic proportions.

It has gone from the youth leagues to its current position as the highest-placed non-league team in Barnsley. The team was accepted into the Northern Counties East League last season and is currently in first place, regularly winning all three of the Barnsley FA’s trophies as well as Sheffield cups.

The club’s Sheerien Park ground now has floodlights, changing rooms and two large stands but did not always look like that.

Pete said: “When we first arrived, the grass was six feet tall and there were tens of burned out cars on there, so we had to get farmers and scrap dealers to help.”

The club had a long battle over a lease for its ground but now aims to go as far as possible, having had the ground graded enabling the team to play in the FA Cup and FA Trophy next year.

A former JobCentre worker, Pete has the qualifications required to take on voluntary workers, and now people in the community come and help out. He said: “We have made it through, and look where we are now. I just wanted to make Athersley a better place.”

This award seeks to recognise a local sports club or team who have either achieved sporting success at local, regional or national level or who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of sport within their local community.

The following points are intended as guidelines only, to help you with your nomination.

Does your club / team demonstrate fair play and a good sporting attitude throughout the year?
Have they made an impact on or contribution to the development of sport in the community?
Do they encourage people to participate and improve their skills?
Are they a role model for other clubs / teams?
What sets your club / team apart from others?

Category Sponsor

Lifestyle Fitness

Peel Parade/Shambles Street
Barnsley S70 2RN

Telephone: 07880 388013

www.lifestylefitness.co.uk

Lifestyle Fitness aims to make leading a healthier lifestyle accessible to all through its budget fitness clubs.

The business was first established 30 years ago and has gone from strength-to-strength since that time. Last year Lifestyle Fitness opened eight new clubs in just eight months including its Barnsley branch on Shambles Street in the town centre.

Building on its success, Lifestyle Fitness aims to open a further 20 clubs throughout the country during 2013.

Shane Williams joined Lifestyle Fitness as the general manager of its Barnsley club in June 2012 and says he’s enjoyed both working and living in the town since.

“I first visited Barnsley just over three years ago after spending 12 years in the British Army based in Germany,” said Shane. “I found that the people of Barnsley are so family orientated and polite.

“The whole community really seem to act like one big family and welcome anyone that visits, which is what attracted me to move here permanently. Having been based abroad all my working life I’m now really proud to say I’m a Barnsley person.”

Lifestyle Fitness Barnsley boasts a team of 15 personal trainers and offers more than 50 classes per week, a ladies only gym and 250 different pieces of state-of-the-art equipment.

Said Shane: “We are going to go for ‘Budget Club of the Year’ at this year’s National Fitness Awards which hopefully we can win.

“We have been open six months and currently have 3,800 members, by April we estimate this will increase to more than 4,000. The future plan for the club is to listen to our members to ensure we deliver what they are asking for.

“Lifestyle Fitness wanted to get involved with Proud of Barnsley Awards as it means a lot to the club and what it stands for.

“We are here to support the whole community, all the businesses and the people of Barnsley. If we all support each other we really can make this a town people want to visit.

“We wanted to sponsor ‘Sports Team of the Year’ because at Lifestyle Fitness it’s what we’re all about. We do everything as a team, continuously supporting each other whilst sharing the good times and the bad like every team should.

“We are very proud to sponsor this award and look forward to hearing about the nominees.”

The whole Barnsley community really seem to act like one big family and welcome anyone that visits, which is what attracted me to move here permanently. Having been based abroad all my working life I’m now really proud to say I’m a Barnsley person.

Shane Williams

General Manager of Lifestyle Fitness, Barnsley