It’s an emotional end to the year as we say goodbye to our women’s recreational football officer, Sara Harnett, who leaves the Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA after four years.

Sara is moving across the pond to America with her family and has career ambitions to keep on empowering women through sport.

During her time here, she has played a pivotal role in breaking down barriers, tackling inequalities and creating more opportunities for women and girls to play football.

She has been instrumental in maximising the impact of UEFA Women's Euro 2022 with over 25 women’s recreational sessions now up and running across our region.

The women’s recreation football community, known as #TeamRec, is now thriving. The Play Your Way League, formed in the 2022-23 season, now has over 300 registered players, 28 teams and five divisions.

Over the last four years, Sara has also delivered over a dozen women’s recreational football festivals, welcoming women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. The latest festival saw a record-breaking 15 teams enter and over 120 players participate.

Among her proudest achievements are delivering her first-ever women’s rec football festival in 2021, organising refugee football sessions in a hotel meeting room in Rotherham, seeing first-hand the impact of UEFA Women's Euro 2022 while working in the fan zones, and visiting newly formed women’s rec sessions to offer support and guidance.

Outside of work, Sara is a qualified UEFA B Licenced coach and has made a big impact in the women’s game while volunteering as a coach at her local clubs Coalville Town Football Club and Basford United Football Club.

Reflecting on her role at the County FA, Sara said: “I always wanted rec football to be more than just football; a way for women to meet friends, to unite communities and inspire women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to try something they thought they couldn’t do. I've seen that happen and it’s something I will forever carry with me from this role.”

Everyone at the Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA would like to wish Sara the very best of luck with her move to America and say a huge thank you for her significant contribution to our local game.