Chiltern Futsal Ltd
Registered Charity 1217196
Registered Charity 1217196
Founder • Coach • Futsal Enthusiast
One of three female trustees at Chiltern Futsal.
Mary is one of the people behind Chiltern Futsal, having been involved in grassroots football and futsal for many years.
A coach first and foremost, she became the first female coach to win the U13 Beds League and later led a girls' team to victory at the U14 Costa Blanca Cup.
Her journey into and through football and then futsal also highlighted something that became increasingly important to her: the lack of female leadership and representation within the game. That experience helped turn Mary into a passionate advocate for greater opportunities for women and girls in football and futsal. This drives the passion!
She has also been involved internationally this year, and had the privilege of helping to write the Northern Ireland Futsal Federation's constitution and policies, and working as UEFA Liaison at the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers — experiences she particularly enjoyed. She'll be heading to Bosnia in October for her next international assignment in the second round, thanks to Northern Ireland's brilliant Federation, coaches and team.
Mary is a mum of three lovely children and is married to a fellow futsal lover.
She's Scottish — so naturally likes rain — and is a dog lover, has a motorcycle licence, and describes herself as a slow runner, despite having completed and won* the Ladies' Doyenne of the Downs 30-mile race in 2011.**
So perhaps “slow” is relative!
For Mary, futsal is about much more than developing players. It's about creating opportunities, building confidence, developing young coaches, encouraging girls and women to take leadership roles, and making sure that everyone has the chance to enjoy the game.
That philosophy is shared across Chiltern Futsal, where players, coaches, volunteers, families and supporters all contribute to the club's growing community.
Mary is proud of what has been built so far — and even more excited about what comes next.
UEFA Futsal B Diploma
The UEFA Futsal B Diploma is the highest level of Futsal Qualification currently available in England. This certification covers tactical understanding, technical development, sports science, and player management specific to futsal. The path to this level includes various football qualifications.
Experience and constant learning balance up the theory.
After managing a group of U9's at Watford Football Tournament and seeing people asking 'what they were doing' it became clear that the impact of futsal on football was huge.
2019 - Herts Volunteer of the Year
2019 - Berkhamsted Raiders Club Person of the Year
First English Female Team to play in Costa Blanca U12
Took female participation in the Berko Raiders Tour from zero to 188 people
Many of that same team are part of the England Pathway today, 8 years later
U14 Champions at Costa Blanca 2022 - Futsal (Great memories for my daughter and her friends)
Finalist 2023, 2024 | Semi Finalists 2025
Bedford Football League winners at U13 (first female manager to achieve this)
Co-managed Raider U16 Boys Blues post covid - football
NFS Champions of T2 WSS in 22/23 with Herts Vipers (co-coach)
Bloomsbury C Mens Plate Champions and League Cup Champions NFL (first woman to manage a men's NFS team and win at SGP) 12 game winning streak. Top level mother son bonding here although I regret not giving him more minutes!
24/25 Chiltern Women win T2 WSS
Tours to France, Costa Brava, Formentera – huge life experiences for young players.
Providing more talent into clubs than any other team.
Our players are approached, incentivised and selected beyond many academies' own home grown players!
Funded 66% of Arsenal ETC Futsal offering in season 24/25 - huge success but our financial resources now directed back at increasing participation. Hugely positive feedback - session prep bespoke to each group and developed at every session based on progress.
Northern Ireland Futsal Committee Member (Only female)
Women and Girls Committee Chair - Herts FA
Member of IAG - Herts FA
Looking forward to a great season and a new era for Chiltern Futsal.
* Mary was indeed the only woman to finish the Doyen of the Downs 30-mile ultra-marathon on Saturday 10 December 2011. Because she was the sole female competitor to complete the course that year, she won the women's race by default. The race — organised at the time by Extreme Running — took place in freezing winter conditions through Stanmer Park and the South Downs. The brutal weather and tough terrain resulted in a very small field of finishers, leaving Mary to claim the women's title. This clarification is here to illustrate that it doesn't matter if you are the only woman, or the environment is hostile — you can still show up and do the job as well as anyone.
** It was fun!