Phoenix Fire Under the Floodlights: The Over-30s Team Owning the 5-A-Side Game

If you wander down to Southwick Leisure Centre on a Tuesday evening, you’ll hear it long before you see it: the laughter, the shouts of encouragement, the occasional “WOMAN ON!”, and the unmistakable sound of grown women living their absolute best lives. That’s the Burgess Hill Phoenix WFC over-30s squad—our fearless, fun-fuelled, fabulously chaotic 5-a-side crew.

For over a year now, this brilliant band of women has been taking on the Southwick 5s league. And yes, it’s technically a mixed-age league. Yes, that means we often line up against players who are… let’s just say born a little more recently than some of us. But does that bother us? Absolutely not. If anything, it fuels us. Because this league isn’t just about football, it’s about grit, growth, good humour, and showing up week after week with a smile (and sometimes an ice pack).

Our dedicated core - Sam H, Sara, Carolina, Nicky C, Rachel S, Charlie, Emily, and more recently Sophie and Lucy W—are the heartbeat of the 5s crew. They’re joined by a rotating cast of equally enthusiastic Phoenix players, each bringing their own spark to the pitch. Together, they’ve created something rare: a space where women can run, compete, belly-laugh, and celebrate each other’s victories, big and small.

And what victories there have been!

We’ve seen slick passing worthy of a highlight reel, outrageous goals (just check out our Instagram), and defensive heroics that would make Millie Bright proud. We’ve watched brand-new players transform into confident, capable footballers—proof that it’s never too late to start something new. And let's not forget our brave goalkeepers, who have given us some truly incredible saves… along with two broken wrists picked up in goal (mostly healed now, thank goodness!). Commitment level: unmatched.

But above all, it’s the joy that keeps everyone coming back. The banter. The camaraderie. The friendships forged on and off the pitch. There’s something magical about the sound of laughter from women doing something they love together, something that’s purely theirs for one golden hour each week.

And now, it gets even better.

5s Has Come Home to Burgess Hill

This week marked a huge milestone: the very first 5-a-side session at The Arc in Burgess Hill. No long drive. No excuses. And the turnout? Fantastic.

Those who couldn’t make the Southwick sessions came out in force - and they absolutely smashed it. They ran their hearts out, defended fearlessly, passed beautifully, and once again filled the air with the kind of joy that reminds you why football is the greatest game in the world.

This isn’t just a team, it’s a movement.

A reminder that sport is for everyone, at every age.

A celebration of women who refuse to fade quietly into the background.

And an open invitation to anyone thinking, “Could I do that?”

The answer is yes. A loud, laughing, Phoenix-powered YES.

So here’s to the Burgess Hill Phoenix over-30s: the women who show us every week what it means to rise, shine, and play with fire in your hearts.