Sam Bunce
Last season – a campaign of immense hard work on and off the pitch to achieve a strong community and a seamlessly run club. This was polished off by silverware across the teams and a historic haul in BUCS points. Now, it is about repeating those feats.
The 1s went tantalisingly close to bringing home the National Championship title at Big BUCS Wednesday while the 2s and 3s both won promotion.
After sealing their spot in Tier 6 of the women’s football pyramid, the club also qualified for the FA Cup for the first time and have since progressed through all three qualifying rounds.
The Women’s Football team at the University of Nottingham find themselves leading the way, but the task of sustaining that hunger and success becomes the inevitable challenge.
The high moments and near misses are momentary but memorable. They are also invaluable and that’s where UoN have the advantage to sweep their competitors aside once again.
Impact had the pleasure to talk to first team player Sarah Tweedie and 2’s player Rose Pickering to uncover the secrets behind the recent successes and shed light on the wider aims the club has set this season.
Leaving no stone unturned to go one step further
After their historic triumph in 2023, the National Championship has since eluded them, and last season they fell just short of claiming that prestigious prize.
Tweedie’s headed goal was ultimately not enough to overturn the two-goal deficit in the final against St. Andrews. She gave an insight into how the first team have coped with the turnover of players for the upcoming season and how the team can use the experience of the final to fuel their pursuits of glory this time around.
“We have welcomed our biggest cohort of new starters this season, which has helped us cope following the turnover of players. We have lost a number of experienced players including our captain, Ruby Atkins. Some of these players won the National Championship in 2023 so they knew what it took to reach this level and we will miss their experience.
“Our recruitment has included five American Masters students, who bring a wealth of experience and professionalism to the group, as well as the exciting new talent of freshers that make the future of the club look bright.
“I think we are in a strong position not only to sustain last year’s success but to build on it. We have retained a large proportion of last year’s squad and with the experience of reaching the final now behind us, we know what it takes and can hopefully take it one step further and win the championship this year.”
“The returners know exactly what it felt like to come so close in last year’s final, and we’re determined to use that experience as fuel. To maintain and raise the standards, it’s about consistency – keeping our training intensity high, holding each other accountable, and never dropping the levels that took us to that final. With the new energy from our recruits and the hunger from last year’s disappointment, we believe we can take that extra step and achieve something even bigger this year.”
The players were put through their paces over many weeks during pre-season to be conditioned and prepared for the rigours of regular BUCS outings and the additional FA Cup incentive.
Any shortcomings early on could prove costly to their chances in the league and it was essential to address every component to help the players feel ready to compete and gain the necessary fine margins over their opponents.
“Our schedule included pitch, classroom and team-building sessions. Pre-season began with fitness testing to set baselines and ensure physical preparation over pre-season was effective. The girls have worked hard on the pitch and in the gym to be fitter, faster and stronger and I’m excited for this hard work to show during the season.
“The work we have put in away from the pitch, including analysis, team culture meetings, and nutrition workshops will hopefully give us those extra percentages to set us apart from other teams.”
Why the 1s are entering the season “arguably more prepared than ever”
Another welcome extra to supplement their pre-season training and friendlies was their inaugural FA Cup campaign getting underway before BUCS started.
To advance through three qualifying rounds and get the opportunity to face professional sides seemed an insurmountable target, but now UoN have entered the official first round of a competition which is steeped in history and evolving the women’s game.
Tweedie highlighted the privilege of playing in the FA Cup and how it has significantly aided their preparation: “Competing in the Women’s FA Cup for the first time has been a huge achievement for the club and a really special experience for everyone involved. Representing the University of Nottingham and advancing through the opening three qualifying rounds of such a prestigious competition is a historic milestone that we can take great pride in.”
Despite their dominance in the university scene, their duties in the FA Cup against well-drilled semi-professional and even professional outfits poses a different challenge. The Green and Gold have embraced the opportunity of boasting an unfamiliar “underdog status” to give them perspective on their level and remain grounded for the BUCS season ahead.
“Reaching the First Round means we are now competing with professional teams, which is another proud moment for the university. As a university team competing for the first time, we have likely been underdogs progressing through the competition. We have been drawn against Cambridge United in the first round and our underdog status will undoubtedly remain. However, I believe with the talent, passion and coaching we have got, there is no reason we can’t be in the hat for the next round and see how far we can go, creating some amazing memories along the way.”
She added: “Playing against domestic clubs has brought different challenges compared to BUCS competition, but those competitive fixtures against physical, well-organised sides have given us invaluable experience. As a result, we head into the BUCS season arguably more prepared than ever.”
Ensuring cohesion throughout the club
Aside from striving to continue their successes, the club is committed to fostering unity across each of its four teams as well as the futsal side.
Speaking to second team player Rose Pickering, she said that the priority for UoN is to ensure that there is connection between those from different teams and that they create the right environment for bonds to be forged.
“At UONWFC we really prioritise a sense of community and almost family in our club, with all 4 teams mixing as much as we can. Our committee this year really highlights this, with players from all 4 teams coming together to keep the club running. Overall, success and performance is pivotal but we make sure to prioritise social aspects which keeps our club running.”
Pickering also emphasised the successes of the futsal setup from last season and what qualities players develop by exploring their skillset on and off the ball in the indoor small-sided sport.
“Our futsal program is a pivotal part of all our successes as a club and brings us many BUCS points for the University. Aside from this benefit, it is clear to see how much playing both futsal and football makes you a more well-rounded player.
“Both sports require specific but also transferable skills, which makes for more technical players, which is always great. We have been really successful in our 1s and 2s futsal teams in the past two years with both teams winning their respective leagues, and the 2s getting to the BUCS National Trophy Final, where unluckily they lost to Durham on the day.”
Having already reached the enviable heights in BUCS, adopting the right mindset and maintaining the hunger is perhaps more daunting than reversing the woes from a previously disappointing season.
Following historic successes, the club have gone above and beyond in their preparations and the first team have their sights firmly set on clinching the National Championships emphatically.
You can keep tabs on UONWFC’s season via their Instagram page to see how their BUCS season pans out and whether they can continue defying the odds in the FA Cup.
Sam Bunce
Featured image courtesy of UONWFC. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @uonwfc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @uonwfc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 3 courtesy of @uonwfc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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