Footballers try to help Jade get to World Kickboxing in Orlando

The East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League is trying to help one of their players – Jade Humphries of Shirebrook – to get to Orlando, Florida, to represent England in the World Kickboxing Championships from 6th-16th November.
Jade (centre) receives a cheque towards Orlando. Also pictured are league chairman Chris Roper and and Leanne Woodhead from the Notts FA.Jade (centre) receives a cheque towards Orlando. Also pictured are league chairman Chris Roper and and Leanne Woodhead from the Notts FA.
Jade (centre) receives a cheque towards Orlando. Also pictured are league chairman Chris Roper and and Leanne Woodhead from the Notts FA.

The talented 17-year-old, who already has a string of national and international titles to her name, is struggling to find sponsorship backing to get her to the USA to represent her country on the world stage for the second time.

But she was given a boost when the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League agreed to donate to her the £700 gate money from their League Cup final at Eastwood Community FC.

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Jade is a player with Sherwood Youth FC Ladies in the Nottingham Girls and Ladies League.

Jade, who trains at Andy Crittenden’s Martial Arts Centre, said: “I hope to bring home the gold medal and gain the ranking of first in the world for my age and weight category,” she said.

“I first started kickboxing at the age of six, so I have now been doing it for 12 years and I am a Black Belt 3rd Dan.

“I started competing at the age of eight when I won my first gold medal.

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“In the past 10 years I have won eight national titles. I am a five-times English champion, four-times British champion, I have won two European silver medals and four Best of British titles.

“Also, I am the Boston & Peterborough Series champion and the Revolution English title belt holder.

“I previously represented Team England at the World Championships in Italy in 2013 where I won two silver medals, giving me a current ranking of second in the world for my age and weight category.

“This year I qualified at the WKKC National Championship where I won a gold and silver.”

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Julie Mitchell, East Midlands Women’s Football League secretary and discipline officer, said: “We first heard about Jade from one of our committee Danielle Pritchard, who plays with Jade at Sherwood Youth FC Ladies.

“Danielle asked the committee if we could sponsor Jade or help out in anyway, so I contacted Jade and her parents to find out a bit more about Jade and to arrange a meeting with them.

“I found out that this lovely solid working class family had tried everything to get funding but came to a dead end.

“Jade came across has a solid young lady with so much passion for her sport and she just pulled on my heart strings and it was there and then that I just thought we have to help this girl to achieve her aim.

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“I have made it a personal mission to get Jade a sponsor that she so deserves. The EMWFL thought it would be good to support a young sportsperson that’s not just blossoming in her own sport but is also playing in our sport and her team will probably be promoted up into our league next season.”

Anyone who can help Jade can contact her via [email protected] or 07778 001651.