Oakworth Juniors Football Club began in April 1991 when Ian Woodward and Richard Hewitt placed an advert in the village Post Office inviting interested youngsters to attend a Training Day at the Council pitch at Wide Lane, Oakworth. Nearly 30 children of various ages attended that first session, and so, with a £50 donation from Oakworth Village Society, Oakworth Juniors was formed.
Initially 2 teams entered the Craven Junior League at U/11and U/12 ages in the 1991/92 season, they played home games at the Wide Lane pitch after the Council erected goalposts and marked out a pitch. The teams changed in the Cricket pavilion next door. However as the Club grew, it became obvious that bigger and better facilities would be required, so the Club moved its base to Bronte School with its 3 football pitches, separate changing rooms and indoor gymns. The Club has made 2 trips abroad. The first in 1995 when the then u/13 and u/14 teams visited Bruay in northern France to participate in a mini tournament, (Bruay visited Oakworth in 1996), and then in 1999 the U/16's, 15's and 14's visited Holland to play in the Amsterdam Cup.
The Club now have teams playing in all age groups:
U/7, U/8, U/9, U/10 play mini soccer in the Keybury Youth League
U/11 to U/17 play in the Craven, Aire and Wharfe Junior League
The two senior teams play in the Devonshire Carpets Craven League
In recent years the Club has worked hard to establish a girls section and now have over 50 girls playing in the Club colours.
The Soccer Camp for 5 year olds runs throughout the year and is a fantastic fun introduction to football. Coach development is always high on the agenda, several coaches are members of the County Coaches Association and FACA, and regularly attend coaching sessions either at County HQ or locally.
A lot of hard work has been completed recently with all managers, coaches and helpers undergoing the CRB checks which gives parents the confidence their children are in safe hands.
The Club always wanted to achieve the Charter Standard when it was first introduced as part of the FA's Charter for Quality, and in 2002 gained the award. A year later Oakworth received the Charter Development award, and this year (2005) finally achieved Charter Community Club status, to become one of only a handful of Clubs nationwide to receive the award. Oakworth have also received awards at County level; in 2003 they were the West Riding County FA Charter Standard Club of the Year, and a year later were County Development Club of the Year.