Help Lanark football players get to Norway

Macy MacVarish (left) and Cara Keenan, Lanark Schoolgirls who are both 12 and playing for the Under 13's squad at Motherwell. (Picture Sarah Peters).

They need to help raise £7,500 to take part in the Norway Cup, one of the largest sporting events in the world.

Macy MacVarish and Cara Keenan, both 12 years old and pupils at Lanark Grammar School, are members of the Motherwell under-13s squad, and have been selected to go to Oslo for the tournament.

“There are 10 girls going as a Motherwell team,” said Macy’s proud dad Grant MacVarish.

Macy has been playing football for only some 18 months, but she is seeing success already.

“She started off at Milton Rovers, and in just a matter of weeks the coach left to go to Motherwell and a few of the girls followed her down,” said Grant.”

Motherwell has ladies teams for all ages, and Macy was soon playing in her age group.

“By the end of last season they named her most improved player, and this year she has managed to get into the performance team; that is the team that is going to make it to the tournament in Oslo,” said Grant, adding that he was proud of her football career so far, and that if Macy was happy playing football, he was happy!

The Norway Cup is the largest international football tournament for young players, with about 30,000 boys and girls from all over the world taking part at all age levels.

It is held at the end of July and first week in August, and before then the excited girls have a lot of fundraising to do!

“Just now we are begging and borrowing,” said Grant, adding that a sponsored walk up Tinto was being planned, and that can collections were being taken at football games.

A charity night has been planned for February 26, at the Cleland Club, and the families are looking for donations of anything that can be auctioned or raffled on the night.

A Justgiving page is being set up, to let friends rally round to give young football players one of the most amazing opportunities in their sport at their young age. In the meantime, to offer cash email [email protected] and linda [email protected].

Donations can be left with Grant, or Gail MacVarish, or Helen and Derek Keenan; the families pass on thanks to local businesses who have already given generous support.