Rugby Borough Women & Girls FC

Club of the Year Winners!

22nd April 2026

Rugby Borough Women & Girls FC is built on people. Coaches giving up their evenings and weekends. Volunteers who just get on with it. Committee members working quietly behind the scenes. Parents on touchlines in all weathers. And young players who grow up through the club and give something back. Last week, that community was recognised in the best possible way.

At the Rugby Sports Awards, our club brought home two trophies: Club of the Year, and Young Volunteer of the Year for our very own Oliver! Our U15s were also shortlisted for Team of the Year, meaning all three of our nominations made the final three, competing alongside some of the strongest sporting talent in the borough. The U15s in particular were up against teams competing at national level. Three nominations, two wins, and an enormous amount of pride!

Oliver is currently studying in Manchester and couldn’t be there on the night, but his sister Rosa stepped up to accept his award on his behalf. Those who know the family will know that Rosa won the very same Young Volunteer of the Year award last year, making it a very special moment indeed.

Our proud club Chair, Katy Smith summed the evening up nicely:

“This is one of those nights that stays with you. Three nominations, all in the final three, two wins against some genuinely outstanding people and teams from across the borough. It speaks to everything our club stands for and everything the people behind it pour into it every single week. We are so proud.”

The award recognised the breadth of what our girls club has been doing – on the pitch, where our teams delivered multiple league and cup successes throughout the 2024/25 season, and far beyond it. From developing female coaches and leaders, to removing financial barriers to participation, to creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for our members at Wembley and building clear pathways from grassroots into women’s football, the entry reflected the work of so many people across our club.

We’re also proud of how our community extends beyond football. Raising funds for Papyrus alongside the Mayor of Rugby, investing in Mental Health First Aid training for our coaches, and making sure every corner of our club is as inclusive and welcoming as it can be – these things matter just as much to us as a club.

Since 2019 our club has grown from 5 teams to more than 20, with over 300 members. This award belongs to every single person who has been part of that journey: our volunteers, coaches, committee, sponsors, players and the families who show up week after week.

And we’re not slowing down. We’ve already started 2026 with a bang, including the launch of our Female Talent Pathway in partnership with Rugby Borough Women FC, creating a formal route for our most ambitious players from grassroots through to senior women’s football. We also have some exciting changes coming to our summer tournament this year, and our brand new kit launch is just around the corner. Watch this space.

Thank you to Rugby Borough Council for recognising grassroots women’s and girls’ football. And to our incredible RBWGFC family, this is a huge achievement for us all.