More Than A Club

Kate Parson, Cardiff, Wales

Goal Click have teamed up with EE to tell the stories of UK grassroots teams born out of adversity - that have overcome hate with hope, with the aim of making the beautiful game more inclusive for all. Because there is a place in football for everyone. 

Kate Parsons plays for Dragons Rock (“Drocks”), a Cardiff-based grassroots women’s and non-binary team, particularly supporting and promoting the rights of the LGBTQI+ community. The team was born out of partnership between the Cardiff Dragons men’s football team and a team of geologists called Rock Solid, who played in the Bristol Casual League. Dragons Rock caters for all abilities and commitment levels, supports numerous local LGBTQI+ causes, and has a focus on trans inclusion in football, engaging with the FAW (The Football Association for Wales) around mixed gender football policy.

Inspired? To find your place in football, in Wales, head here.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us how your football life began?

My name is Kate Parsons, but everyone knows me as KP. I am from Stourbridge in the West Midlands and have been living in Cardiff for around 7 years now with my partner and our 4 year old cockapoo, who is named Simon. I am a digital project manager, which is a fast paced and fulfilling role and I get to work on some really interesting projects. I currently play football for the Dragons Rock team within the Cardiff Dragons club, mainly playing as a forward. This season I was the top goal scorer.

I started kicking a ball more or less as soon as I could walk! My parents were both interested in football too, my mom is a Wolves supporter and my dad was a Birmingham City supporter. From as far as I can remember, football has been part of my life.

What has your football journey been like up until now? 

I started playing football properly for my primary school team. I was not able to join the local grassroots clubs at the time, as they did not allow girls to play in the boys’ teams, and there were no girls’ teams in existence at that time. I was the only girl on the school team and I often got called names by the opposition players and their parents. I heard comments such as "girls can't play football", "girls shouldn't play football", "are you a boy?" on a regular basis. I did not let those comments stop me, but they did hurt and upset me and they have definitely stuck with me some 30 years later!

I loved football, I loved playing football, and I loved watching football. My main childhood memories are playing football in the street where I lived with the boys who lived across the road, practising keepy uppys in the back garden and even playing in my living room with my dad! 

When I was 11 my parents saw an advertisement for trials for the Wolves women's football team in the local newspaper, so I went for trials and then played for Wolves up to the age of 16. I trained twice a week and had games on the weekend across the Midlands. A highlight during this time was being named the captain of the U14s Wolves women's team. 

I played on the Molineux pitch quite a few times, as we would often do little 10 minute games during half time of the men's matches. Whilst I recall a few of the men's Wolves supporters would shout the usual abuse at us, the majority were encouraging and supportive of us. 

I left Wolves at 16 to concentrate on my school exams and going to college and university. Aside from casually kicking a ball around in my own time, I did not actually play for another team until I was living and working in Bristol 10 years later. I played for Easton Cowgirls for a few years before joining Cardiff Dragons. On reflection, I think it took me so long to start playing for a team again because it felt like as a young woman I should not be playing football, because that is not what young women “did”! 

I have also worked for Bristol Academy Women's Football Club during their transition to Bristol City Women Football Club. This was a significant period in the club's history as they became more aligned to the men's team and the wider club gave much more support to the women's and girls’ youth teams. 

What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos? 

I tried to capture the beauty and inclusivity of Dragons Rock - team mates, coaches, and supporters. This is more than just a group of people who play football. This team offers so much more than somewhere for women and non-binary players to play football. 

The photos were taken at the very first Dragons Rock Tournament and also training sessions at Pontcanna Fields. I love the one where we are embracing the rain! It shows that people love to turn up for training and games regardless of the weather because they enjoy it so much.

What impact has Cardiff Dragons / Drocks had on you? Why is it so important to have an inclusive space to play?

Football continues to play a very important role in my life. As a quiet and generally unconfident person, when I play football it ignites me. It allows me to feel worthy, valued, good enough, and it gives me a sense of belonging. 

Cardiff Dragons and Dragons Rock is a very special club. It has widened my circle of friends. It has given me joy during times in my life where joy has been missing. It has given me a safe space to be me. It gives me the freedom to do what I love doing without judgement. All of this is hugely important for not only physical health but our mental health and wellbeing.

Personally, I want to carry on playing well for a few more seasons - though these legs are getting tired now!! 

What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? Why might the future be hopeful? What would you like to change? 

I am hopeful for football in my community. I want the game to continue to grow and inspire more and more players of all ages. I think that the Football Association of Wales (FAW) are really committed to ensuring that there are more and more opportunities for girls, women, and non-binary players. With more opportunities, more clubs and teams will be created. 

Since I started playing football, I think that the game and opportunities have come a long way, but there is still a lot more to do. When I was playing and experiencing sexist abuse as a youngster this was all done verbally as social media did not exist then. Now with social media it makes it a lot easier for people to post sexist and negative comments and it is this cowardly behaviour that has to stop. 

I hope women’s football will continue to work as a tool for gender equality and societal change - and that all aspects of abuse in football are stamped out. In my opinion it is also vitally important that men take action to instil change. 

Series edited by Emma Walley.