Alva Swifts Youth Football Club have been recognised for their valuable contribution to grassroots football.

Mark Murphy, Colin McKerracher, Stewart Macfarlane and Colin Hird from the club were presented with the Scottish FA Quality Mark Standard Award at The Falkirk Stadium on Saturday 26 February 2011.

The Award, part of the Quality Mark Accreditation Scheme run by the Scottish FA in partnership with McDonald’s and Sportscotland, recognises pro-active clubs working to increase youth and community participation.

Clubs receive the award after meeting standards in areas such as coach and player development, management, administration, welfare and planning.

Alva Swifts Youth Football Club was formed in 1995 with one team. The club has developed since then and now has 5 teams from U11 to U15. Alva Swifts play in the Forth Valley Football Development Association and have around 60 players in total at the present time.

Club Chairman Mark Murphy said: “This is a great achievement for the club. We have worked hard over the past 18 months to ensure we met the relevant criteria. We hope to continue to develop as a Club and provide local kids with the opportunity to play football and receive excellent coaching”.

Scottish FA Football Development Manager Alan Morgan said: “I am delighted Alva Swifts have been awarded the Standard Award. The recent award recognises the hard work they have put into this and ensures that good standards are adhered to within the club. I look forward to working with them moving towards the Development Award.”

There are three Quality Mark categories - Standard, Development, and Community. So far more than 400 clubs and schools have been involved in the programme, with over 8,500 coaches benefitting from coach education, first aid and child protection training.

McDonald’s, Scottish FA’s community partner since 2002, will help to attract 13,000 new volunteers and 10,000 new coaches by 2014, as well as supporting 600 clubs and 52,000 players through new and existing football networks.

Through the Quality Mark Accreditation Scheme, McDonald’s and the Scottish FA aim to provide support to grassroots clubs and schools across Scotland as they strive to broaden youth and community participation and to enhance player, coach and volunteer development.

For further information on the Scottish FA Quality Mark programme, please visit: www.scottishfa.co.uk/footballdevelopment