Gavin Bazunu to help launch Hoops Boot Room initiative

Shamrock Rovers are launching a club initiative called The Boot Room this week with the help of Ireland goalkeeper and former Hoop player Gavin Bazunu.

The initiative is aimed at educating young players in valuing and looking after their prized matchday equipment – their boots.

With inflation and cost of living pressure, the club acknowledge that not all families can priorities football boots that can cost players and their parents hundreds of euro in any given season.

To assist with the cost, the Boot Room is being launched at Rovers with the aim of supplying boots to any of the club’s Academy players that need them.  

Academy graduate and current Irish International goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu, has donated €5,000 worth of boots to kick things off.

A ‘Passback Programme’ is already in place where the men’s first team have passed on over 30 pairs of boots to the Academy for use in the Boot Room and this will now become a widespread initiative across the various teams within the club. 

The Boot Room unit has been built and sits next to the dressing rooms in the Academy facility at Roadstone. 

The idea for the initiative came from Michelle McPhail – the wife of Rovers’ Sporting Director Stephen McPhail.

She said that “as a parent involved in football, I understand the importance of players having what they need to enjoy their sport. Ideally, every child or young adult should have a decent pair of boots for their training and matches throughout the seasons. However, this can be a huge cost to parents when growing kids are going through boots very quickly. 

"With this in mind, I sought to create a service within our club where we could have a well-stocked Boot Room that could provide football boots needed by any player or coaching volunteer. 

On behalf of the Academy teams, Rovers’ Academy Director, Shane Robinson, said that “this club initiative is a great addition to the academy and will ease the burden on the parents of our players. We want all our players to value and take care of their equipment and be comfortable in the boots they wear at all times.

"Our players look up to our senior stars and it’s great they get an opportunity to wear their boots or the boots of their peers. Thanks to everyone who has helped get this initiative up and running.” 

Spoke with Collie O'Neill after @RoversWomen win against Glentoran in Belfast yesterday https://t.co/9LGRGZNPFg

— Macdara Ferris (@macdarabueller) July 3, 2023