Eleri Williams was a very talented young rugby and football player up until she was 13 years old and allowed to play in teams made up almost entirely of boys: indeed, she was the first-ever female member of the county under 11 and 12s rugby team, coached by Kim Norkett and Kenny Davies, alongside the likes of Jonathan ‘Fox’ Davies and Lloyd Phillips, plus Pembroke RFC team mates Neil Williams, Scott Bowen and Max Hayward, as Rob Hayward undertook the coaching.
 
In football, she played for Hundleton throughout the junior age ranges but then at 12 her enjoyment under the guidance of Paul ‘Brasso’ Jones, which was smashing, was ended - but like in rugby, her being part of a team abruptly ceased because in those days there was no football for girls either.
 
It was a little better in cricket because she was allowed to continue playing with her friends at Pembroke CC.
 

Nice to bump into Eleri

 
So bearing in mind all these factors that left her in the sporting wilderness, so when PembrokeshireSport.co.uk bumped into Ms Williams at a recent rugby match at Crickmarren, the home of Pembroke RFC, it came as no surprise to discover that her working role is primarily dealing with sports participation.
 
Because Eleri is currently employed by the Welsh Football Association as the National Club Services Manager, where her principal role is to encourage as many of the 850 clubs currently playing across Wales, with a primary focus on club development.
 

Worked for English Football and now back home in Wales

 
Eleri started out her work with the Welsh Football Trust after moving for three years to London, living at Ealing Broadway with an office in Paddington, where her important role was as Grants’ Manager, dealing with important matters regarding the installation of 3G pitches.


“It was challenging,” admitted Eleri, “because of the decisions made that involved large sums of money, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I made some great friends along the way.”

 
“Then in 2020 I returned to work for the FAW and now I work mainly from home but sometimes have to visit The Vale (outside Cardiff), Dragon Park (Newport) and Colliers’ Park (Wrexham).

 
“My motivation is to ensure that no one will ever find themselves having to stop playing a sport they love due to a lack of opportunities, our Women’s National team has recently qualified for Euro 2025 in Switzerland and my biggest task is to make sure our clubs will be ready for the influx of interested by those who will be inspired by the tournament.


 
 

A keen cricketer – and a county ladies’ player at 12

 
Going back to her own sporting days, it was only cricket that allowed Eleri to play throughout her teen years as she started with Pembroke at their Treleet Ground, where Tim Phillips was junior coach, and other members of that team were her brother Dan Williams, Paul ‘Chalkie’ White, Phill and Andrew ‘Sparky’ Hay.
 

“But when I was 12 I was asked to play for the Carew Ladies’ team, where Caryl Brace was captain and we won the Ladies League, and despite being so young I also played alongside her, Kath ‘Buggy’ Huxley (now Adams), Sam Rossiter, Jo Kerrison and some other useful cricketers in the Pembrokeshire Ladies’ team.
 

“To be honest it is all a bit of a blur now because it was so long ago”
 

Involved at Cresselly – and now Pembroke

 
“When I was 18 I joined Cresselly because they were the only team in the south of the county which had a ladies’ side alongside Hook, Burton, Neyland and Haverfordwest in the north - and I was made welcome by everyone but especially by Louisa Cole ( Now Perridge ) (still my best pal there), Lauren Arthur (now Davies), and Meg Jenkins (now Arthur).
 
“I love playing at Cresselly we have won a few trophies along the way, but my measure of success is the friends I have made and I have made a lot at the club, I am also a committee member at Pembroke Cricket Club, where I am proud to be a small part of the way the club is growing in every aspect as Kevin Jenkins (President), Jack Harries (Captain), Luke Butler, Paul White and Jonathan Davies (Groundsman) work tirelessly at making everyone feel involved, as do Leanne Panton, Nirvana Thomas and the rest of the ladies involved there, When I returned to Pembrokeshire I wanted to give back and reintegrate with the community, it felt right to give back to the club that introduced me to cricket and I have reconnected with lots of my old friends so its been an enjoyable experience.
 
Skipper Harries told us,
“We are very lucky to have Eleri involved because she really helps to create that ‘family feeling’ in the club in her own special way. She is involved in all we try to do and plays for the Men’s Third team.
 
“She likes to do things the right way and never says no when asked to be involved in anything.”
 
It is not surprising that Eleri still spends some of her spare time helping out at Pembroke RFC’s Crickmarren Ground, where she does much of their social media stuff.
 

Family matters . . .

 
For her family it is very much part of their life, with her father Dilwyn having played in the first team for many years and has since served tirelessly on the committee and been an outstanding president, who has worked so hard in the role, rather than just being a figure-head.
 
Then there’s mum Jane, who is a long-serving member of the ladies’ committee and can still be found sometimes serving the players’ food on match days - whilst brother Dan used to play when he was younger but is now something of a golf fanatic at Tenby GC.





 

And finally . . .

 
But it is her work that keeps Eleri most busy and she is highly motivated towards creating thriving clubs.
 
Coincidentally, her direct line manager is another excellent all-round sportsman, Ben Field, another excellent proponent of sport, which he demonstrated as manager of Sport Pembrokeshire in County Hall, for almost two decades before becoming the Grass Roots Manager for the Welsh FA, with his remit covering the length and breadth of Wales
 
Ben had this to say about Eleri:
“The role of National Club Services Manager is pivotal to grass roots football, supporting the 850 clubs across the whole of Wales, with support and services to improve governance, workforce and facility aspirations.
 
“Eleri is an expert in club development, with significant experience working at the Football Foundation in England and is an inspirational leader, within the Grassroots Team at the FAW - and an all-round gem of a human being!”
 
One only has to chat to Eleri Williams for a short time to see that whilst it her job she also regards it as a mission in life - and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can only join Ben Field and wish her every success because what she is doing is fantastic work in a genuine cause, because sporting participation is a joy that should be shared by as many as possible, irrespective of sex, age or ability!