Mousehole AFC launches schools season ticket scheme
Mousehole AFC have taken another step in strengthening our bond with the local community by launching a new scheme that invites schoolchildren — and an accompanying adult — to every home match free of charge. The initiative, introduced this season, aims to open the doors of the club to families across the area and give young supporters a closer connection to their village team.
This week, manager Jake Ash visited Mousehole School to speak to pupils about the club, the season ahead, and what it means to represent the village. It didn’t take long for the children to put him under pressure.
“It was a really lovely day,” Ash said. “Mousehole School is an amazing place, and Dax Ansell — who works there and is a big Mousehole fan — invited me in to do an assembly and chat to the pupils. They were a fantastic group, and it was great to see so many of them at the game on Saturday.
“Engaging with the local community is really important to us. The kids came onto the pitch afterwards to get autographs and soak up the atmosphere. We didn’t get the result they’d have hoped for, but hopefully the experience gave them a taste of what Mousehole AFC is all about — the noise, the energy, everything that makes this club special.”
Teacher Dax Ansell, who helped organise the visit, said the impact on the pupils was immediate.
“Anything that strengthens our community links is such a positive,” he explained. “It gives the kids a sense of the wider community and their role in it — something to aspire to. They absolutely loved Jake’s visit… I’m not sure if they enjoyed it more than he did!
“He was brilliant with them. They asked loads of questions, and having an outside voice — especially someone connected to football — really lifts them. It was a fantastic experience.”
That excitement carried straight into Saturday’s home match against Bishops Cleeve, where a group of Mousehole School pupils took part in the pre-match walkout and handshake with the players. At half-time they were back on the pitch again, this time for a penalty shootout — with midfielder Tallan Mitchell, sidelined that day, volunteering to go in goal and play the role of pantomime villain and local hero all at once.
The club love having the children around and we’re already looking to expand the scheme to more schools across West Cornwall.
If your school would like to get involved, please contact the club secretary at: secretary@mouseholeafc.co.uk.
