Ambassador
Jill Simmonds
I’m a huge Hartlepool United supporter and my journey began with my Dad taking me to my first match when I was 9. A few years later we got season tickets and now over 30 years later I am still following the boys in blue home and away (when I can!). I now attend home games with my son and have a great relationship with the fantastic staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
I joined Her Game Too in March 2022 and quickly had a meeting with Hartlepool United. Our partnership was announced in September 2022. I soon joined the clubs Youth Alliance committee who works with the grassroots clubs in the town. This enabled me to talk to these clubs about the aims of HGT and we could support and promote the clubs who provide girls and women the means to play the game we all love. 7 local grassroots clubs are now working with us and help us to raise awareness. I have also been invited to join the clubs supporters panel where we can discuss matchday experience and other issues supporters face directly to our supporter representative from the club board.
I am also a member of the Durham County FA’s inclusion advisory board and female health subcommittee. We aim to help clubs engage with minority groups and support women and girls who have faced issues. The female health subcommittee are looking at developing CPD sessions for coaches of females to widen their awareness of issues faced by female players during puberty, menstruation cycle, pregnancy, post-natal, peri-menopause and post menopause.