Cambridge youngsters given opportunity to play matches and train with Sharp Shooters FC

What started out as two friends putting on training in a local park for their children when restrictions allowed during the Covid-19 pandemic has quickly transformed into a football club with around 80 youngsters signed on.

Sharp Shooters FC was formed by Gilbert Mensah and Daniel Ike after more and more kids expressed a desire to take part in their sessions at the St Albans Recreation Ground.

And the newly-formed set-up has gone from strength to strength, so much so that next season they intend to field teams at under-8, under-10, under-11 and under-12 level, with an estimated 95 per cent of the players hailing from the Chesterton and Arbury areas of the city.

“It was never our intention for it to happen this way,” said Mensah. “Daniel and I were just planning to train our children and then as it went on a few more children joined in.

“A month or two later we were up to 25 and it just kept growing. We started playing friendlies in 2021 and the kids loved it. From there we entered the Chesterton Eagles tournament and one of our teams reached the final, losing to Trumpington.

“It was such a buzz and we’ve moved things on from there.

“The majority of the kids come from the area and you don’t actually realise how many live in the area until you get a ball and a few cones out.

“I’m of Ghanaian heritage, Daniel is Nigerian and we’ve also got Spaniards, Polish and others playing for us. It’s a really good melting pot and it’s bringing people from different backgrounds together.”

And while the club is helping to connect people and provide opportunities, it is also impressing out on the football pitch.

Five players were snapped up by Cambridge United last season while earlier this summer the U’s returned along with Norwich City and Ipswich Town to express their interest in six more squad members.

Sharp Shooters have even been invited to take on some of Norwich’s academy sides in recent weeks and more than held their own.

Any businesses or individuals interested in sponsoring the club can make contact on sharpshooters.cambs@gmail.com or 07946 066969.