Shirley Veevers only went to Clitheroe Wolves Football Club for some coaching experience now she runs the club's junior girls section!

For it was three years ago that Shirley was invited to her local club to put her university course theory in to practice -- and she has remained ever since.

She probably got more experience that she expected because within a month she was running the girls under 12s team.

Today she is in charge of 50 girls playing in four different age groups.

Shirley has certainly made a big impression at the Wolves in her three year stint at the club.

Her tireless work and enthusiasm for the game has helped establish Clitheroe Wolves as a top club for young female footballers.

And it is that hard work and commitment that has earned her the coveted title of Lancashire Sports coach of the year for the Ribble Valley.

It's a honour she did not expect but an honour she richly deserves for the part she has played in coaching young footballers.

"The award was definitely a shock," said Shirley who now has a degree in Sports Management. "I knew I had been nominated but did not think much about it. But to hear that I had won was really pleasing."

Shirley remembers the days when, as a first year student she popped along to the club to get some hands-on experience.

It was something she didn't necessarily had to do but it served to underline her dedication to getting it right.

" I went along to the club to help on the coaching side of things to get a bit of experience and before I knew it, I was coaching my own team.

"I think it was about after a month I was put in charge of the under 12s team and that is a team I still manage to this day.

"They are a great bunch of girls and I really enjoy working with them. They have improved so much in the time I have been working with them and now they are unbeaten in the league."

Shirley plays her part in helping to run teams at under eights, nines and elevens while plans are already under way to introduce a senior team next season.

"Everyone knows how popular girls football is at the moment," added Shirley. "It's one of the fastest growing sports in the country and we are happy to start up new teams to grow with it."

The formation of a senior team will help Clitheroe keep their best older players away from the clutches of the estalished teams of Blackburn Rovers, Burnley FC Girls, Darwen Ladies and Accrington Ladies -- a team Shirley played for last season.

The formation of the senior team may also give Shirley the chance to pull her boots on once again.

"I love playing football but the coaching side of things had to come first. When we start the senior side, you never know, I might get the chance to play again."

Shirley got her first taste of football coaching at Burnley FC's football in the community programme and she has since worked on Hyndburn Borough Council's Active Sport programme at Rhyddings High School.

Her desire to coach also took her to America.

"Since America won the Women's World Cup, football is massive over there. It was great to go to America and coach on the football clinics."

Now a level two coach, Shirley has worked with Simon Gerrard at the Lancashire Football Assocation on the Girls Coaching and Performance Centre -- a coaching course for players of a higher ability.

While Simon has been a great help, Shirley also thanked Wolves chairman George Hibbert and his fellow committee members for all their support.

"I have been very lucky to have had support and help from people like George and Simon and that is something I am very grateful for."

Having passed her degree, Shirley is looking for a profession in sport.

"I studied hard to pass my degree and I would love to get a job in sport." Whoever does employee her will have a hard working, dedicated member of staff on their books. For her involvement in football takes up a large chunk of her week and it is that effort that has turned her in to something of a role model.

She said: "There aren't enough women coaches involved in football at the moment. I would love to see the day when girls teams are being run by female coaches."

Shirley aims for the future is to establish a structure in girls football at the club, something that is slowly slotting in to place.

A tour of Holland next year will help strengthen that structure while a recent trip to watch England Ladies take on Scotland shows what her players have to strive for.

"The good thing about ladies football is that if you are talented you have a very good chance of getting recognised. There are quite a few footballers in the area who have been selected for England trials and I would love to see Clitheroe Wolves players gettting in to the national team one day."

And Shirley Veevers for national coach? Don't bet against it!