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January 2025 | Phonebox Magazine 53I was really looking forward to telling you all what a great Christmas match we had had and reporting on some specimen predator fish being caught in the first perch and pike match of the season. As you might have guessed though the weather gods do not care about fishermen and the heavy rain put paid to both.The penultimate round of the winter league was the only match to take place in the last month. Following the OLNEY CRICKET CLUBIf you have a female cricket fan in the family, read on. In January, Dynamos Cricket are offering a free indoor camp for girls ages 8-11 at Ousedale School, in partnership with Olney Town Cricket Club.Dynamos Cricket is the perfect way to introduce girls to the sport, and helps to build confi dence, ability and an opportunity to make friends in a safe environment. The camp takes place on Tuesdays from 5-6pm and starts on 7th January for six weeks. To register, scan the QR code shown right and use this bursary code FCSWQ to book the course for free. If you would like further information about the course please contact emma.boswell@buckscricket.co.uk.LOCAL SPORT ROUNDUPteam%u2019s best ever showing on the previous round which we hosted, expectations were running high. Unfortunately strong winds and a riding river did the team no favours. Team captain Shayne Johnstone went in to the match on top form having been runner up the week before. One massive gust of wind killed his chances in one go by blowing all his bait in to the river. From then on all the fish in his swim decided there was enough for them to eat without bothering with anything attached to a hook. The team thus fell to last in the match but they will be all out to finish the season on a high in the last round.Hopefully next month I will have some fishing to report on, both match and pleasure. I look forward to seeing many of you on the bank in the next month no doubt trying out the new kit that was on your Christmas list.I hope all of you have a great New Year and tight lines in 2025. Damon.NEWPORT TOWN FOOTBALL CLUBOLNEY & CLIFTON FISHING ASSOCIATIONMay 2022 marked an historic occasion at Newport Pagnell Town Football Club, the men lifting the FA Vase trophy at Wembley Stadium in a momentous day for the Town!The Year also marked the club quietly setting about redefining the setup of female football. A club of such high stature in the men%u2019s game were lacking any real identity when it came to female football.In November 2022, the club brought in a Head of Female Football to begin the process of developing the female game at NPTFC.Fast forward two years and the landscape looks completely different with a senior team playing regional football pushing for back-to-back promotions of the Women%u2019s Footballing Pyramid, making history by being the first ever team from NPTFC to make it to the first round proper of the FA Cup and soon to play in the Berks and Bucks semi-fi nal having knocked out some prestigious higher ranked opposition along the way, all complemented by a newly formed Women%u2019s senior Development Team. The pathway itself now boasts eight junior teams across all age groups from the age of under eight, also Saturday morning sessions for girls from the age of six.%u201cFrom the outset the vision was to create the go-to place for female football in the area, having a fun environment for the younger girls whilst having a competitive successful senior team giving the girls role models to look up to enhancing the chances of keeping local talent at the club creating a long-term sustainable pathway!The growth of the game at the club has coincided nicely with the opening of our incredible new Leah Williamson Pitch offering the very best facilities to support further growth, I feel we are only at the beginning of the journey and have talked openly from the outset about a five-year plan to have Women%u2019s National league football at Willen Road. Yes, an ambitious plan but with the continued backing from the club and the local community this can become a reality!%u201dJames Badham, Head of Female Football at NPTFC Please get in touch if you would like more information about playing opportunities or to discuss sponsorship partnerships: e-mail women@nptfc.co.uk.