League Unsung Hero Award Winner
The League today presented the Eric Service Award to Douglas Connor from Hillsborough Pumas.
Douglas was presented the award by League chairman Matt Hardman at the Hillsborough Pumas club gala which took place on Sunday 10th May.
Many congratulations to Douglas.
The nominations received for Douglas said:
"I would like to nominate Douglas Connor, secretary of Hillsborough Pumas JFC. I have known Douglas for just over 4 years thanks to both our son's joining Pumas at a young age. Within a couple of years the secretary John Crofts decided his time was up (his son had long since grown up!) and Douglas was the only person to put his name forward. Thanks to his huge efforts Pumas moved from Charter Standard Club to Community Club in possibly record time. His efforts also ensured Pumas became one of only four FA skills hub clubs. Whenever an opportunity arises to put our club in the public eye Douglas grabs it featuring in magazines and I believe we were the only club to turn up and help at last years Varsity match at Hillsborough (and some of his pictures from that day are regularly used on your website).
The amount of miles he has put in this season to hand deliver registration cards I have lost count of and as club treasurer I know he does this at his own expense. As well as watching his own son play he has regularly held soccer school sessions for local 5/6 year olds, stood in for other managers when required and is looking to take on our second squad at under 11's when our current under 10's go to single team.
If anyone (manager, parent or child) needs to find anything out they know where to go as he is the font of all knowledge and never knows how to say no, whatever time of day or how busy he may be.
I believe we are the only junior football team to feature in the Sheffield Children's University which rewards children for attending activities promoting health and well being - something I don't think anyone but Douglas would have even thought about.
Next season the club are entering an under 18's team for I believe the first time, another initiative of Douglas' meaning there is a route for the lad's who reach the end of under 16's. No doubt Douglas will be looking at something beyond this.
The hours he spends trawling facebook, twitter and the internet I daren't even total up but this led to a team coming over from Ireland last season to play one of our under 11 teams. The weather did its best to put a dampener on the event - in fact that is the one thing I can say AGAINST Douglas - he can't sort out this British weather!
I am sure there are many others who are deserving but Douglas Connor really does go the extra mile."
Another nomination for him said:
"I would like to nominate an unbelievable guy called Douglas Connor who works his socks off for our club.
Douglas is the Club Secretary for Hillsborough Pumas Junior Football Club based in the north of Sheffield. We have age groups ranging from U7’s to U18’s for boys & also an U12’s girls team. We also have a soccer school that takes place on a Monday evening for boys & girls aged 5-6 who can come along & just play football, this is something that Douglas takes a big involvement in & he’s been instrumental in producing players for the U7’s age group each year.
Douglas started off as just a normal parent like anyone else. His son plays for the Pumas U10’s age group but has been here since the very beginning. Douglas was the type of parent that all managers love. He’s someone who helps put the nets up at the start of games & collects everything in at the end even when the vast majority just walk off.
An opportunity arose for a new club secretary & Douglas took it without any hesitation. As a club we haven’t looked back since!! The amount of hours & hard work he puts in is incredible. It’s really hard to remember what it was like before he was here, he literally has brought the club in to the 21st century.
It’s hard enough being just a plain old coach but I take my hat off to anyone who gives up so much of their time to either be a club secretary or club chairman.
The amount of work & exposure Douglas has created for our football club is outstanding. A couple of years ago he took advantage of a McDonalds football competition which ended with one of our age groups having their team photo plastered on the side of Wembley stadium for all fans attending the ground to see. That’s not all, he’s also managed to have our Monday night soccer school (previously mentioned) advertised on the main bbc football webpage. This was visible to everyone in the world should they log on to the website. It gave details of what our soccer school was about, times of training & also the venue address. It encouraged any young boy or girl of any footballing ability to come along & take advantage of our clubs facilities & fantastic coaching.
A few years ago the FA Tesco Skills was launched, there are only 4 hubs clubs in the region & we’re one of them!! Douglas put an outstanding dossier together & managed to convince the people involved that we should be a club represented in this initiative. As a club we’ve really taken advantage of the expert coaching available through this scheme which has led to all of our players from all of the age groups benefitting from some world class coaching.
Hillsborough Pumas are a Charter Standard Community Football Club. We were one of the first in our region, this is down to Douglas Connor. He will probably brush this off & say that everyone had a part to play but trust me when I say he was the main catalyst behind this & worked so hard to achieve this status for the club.
It was only a few weeks ago that Hillsborough Pumas were featured in the monthly edition of the FourFourTwo Magazine. This again was through Douglas’ hard work & it featured an interview from Douglas detailing what our club is about & what we have to offer to all the children out there who have a passion for football.
As well as achieving all of the above for the club he has also taken advantage of what the club has on offer. He has become a FA Level 1 qualified coach & is currently working towards the Level 2 award. He has also completed his Level 1 & 2 Youth Module awards. As of next season he will take over one of the U11 Hillsborough Pumas teams as manager, this is all on top of continuing his role as club secretary. This proves why he’s involved in this club & that’s for the kids!! At the end of the day we’d be nothing without all the boys & girls who play for us. Douglas not only attracts players to the club through the soccer school, he keeps them here through all the initiatives he’s managed to get us involved in.
Douglas has done so much that I’m pretty sure I’ve missed things out but I’ve never met anyone who has a bad word to say about him & he is a fountain of knowledge to all the Pumas coaches who ask his for advice & help in a whole host of different scenarios but the most humbling thing is this never seems to be too much for him!! He will help anyone at any time & as a club we’re extremely lucky to have him.
If anyone ever deserved to win an unsung hero award it’s Douglas himself."