The High Peak Junior Football League has scooped a prestigious honour for its ongoing commitment to support and develop its existing players, teams and coaches in Derbyshire.
The league, which is headed up by chairman Jon Matthews, was voted as the Derbyshire FA Grassroots League of the Year for 2022.
What initially started as an idea to implement primary school aged football around six years ago has since developed into something huge, with 42 teams and over 400 children currently registered to play in the league.
Based at Glossopdale School’s 3g facility, the HPJFL is growing in strength and is reliant on an army of volunteers to maintain its quality.
Jon, 59, a huge advocate of junior football, said he was overwhelmed to receive the award on behalf of the everyone who makes the league special. Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Jon said: “We’re incredibly humbled to receive this award and the fact that somebody, who we don’t know, has nominated us for the award makes it all the more special.
“Six years ago there was no provision for primary school aged football in the High Peak area, so I joined a High Peak football focus group that was started by Liam Rooney at the Derbyshire FA.
“It involved chair people from Glossop Juniors, New Mills, Hayfield, Tintwistle, and Buxton Juniors.
“We were discussing the future of junior football and that’s where the High Peak JFL was born.
“It started out as a passion and has since grown into an obsession of mine.
“Each year the league has grown from strength-to-strength, so in the first season we had 18 teams and we now have 42 teams, in excess of 400 children who are registered to play in the league.
“Prior to that, a lot of these teams and children were having to travel to Matlock and into Derbyshire to play on grass pitches.
“In large parts of the winter they were unable to play football due to water logging and frozen surfaces.
“Once we forged that partnership with Glossopdale School, who have an excellent 3g facility, we’ve been able to guarantee that we can host football pretty much every week, unless it’s covered in snow.
“Competition is very much secondary in our league. The focus is being safe, playing a sport they love and having fun. As long as that’s happening, long may it continue.”
Picture: The HPJFL finals day is held at Buxton FC every season
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