Social Vision has provided player sponsorship for prolific striker and working mum, Lucy Ridley, of Rotherham United F.C.
Lucy said: “My name is Lucy Ridley, I am a striker for Rotherham United Ladies Football Club. I have played football from a young age, starting playing with my brother and his friends on the street, then competitively since I was 15, when I began playing for Barnsley F.C. girls. I have played for many clubs across South Yorkshire, having to move clubs several times because of teams folding due to limited finances in the Women’s game.
One of the biggest challenges I have had to face, was having children and getting back to fitness and starting playing again. It took me over a year to get back into football after having my daughter (now 9) as being a mum was such a big adjustment, when I started playing again, it took me a while to regain my pace and confidence as there were not many other women playing football who had children.
Also in sport in general there were limited role models of women coming back to sport after pregnancy, unlike now with women such as Jess Ennis-Hill. Furthermore, as football is much more popular now, there are many more mums playing, there are another 2 mums playing at Rotherham, which is nice.
I had my son 6 years ago and that was a much smoother transition back into football, I started going to the gym after 3 months and was training again within 5 months, I think I knew that I had done it once, so I could do it again.”
Social Vision’s Joe Gardham said: “We’re really excited to support Lucy and women’s sport in Yorkshire. There’s a huge drop off in girls playing sport once they leave school, and I know myself how important it is – not just for health and fitness, but also social connections, stress management and productivity. Lucy’s story really inspired us here at Social Vision, and we’re looking forward to supporting her and the Rotherham squad in 2019.”
