A girls’ section has been kick-started at Ashton-on-Mersey Football Club thanks to a grant from The Football Association to boost the grassroot game for young females.
The club has been successful in gaining £3,000 of funding from The FA Grow the Game grant to a girls’ section.
The money will cover the costs of FA coaching courses; FA league affiliation costs; referees’ fees; first aid kits; football kit; winter training venues and equipment.
The new team will initially be aimed at girls in school years six and seven in September 2018, and then build on this to have a girls’ section across all age groups, as with the boys’ teams.
An open day will be held at Ashton Park, Grosvenor Road, Sale, on Saturday, September 8, from 1pm until 2pm, to gauge interest – and all girls aged 10-13 are being welcome to take part.
The club has already recruited volunteers to help run and coach the first all-girls team, who will be embarking on the FA coaching course this Autumn – but would like to hear from anyone else who is interested in supporting the development of the team.
Club founder and Football Development Officer, Tony Lowe, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the Grow the Game funding.
“We are passionate about developing our girls’ sections and would like to thank everyone who has stepped up to help get it started.
“We have girls who currently play in mixed teams but want to also provide the opportunity for an all-female section.
“We have already had quite a bit of interest from some youngsters in the area and hope to keep on increasing this year-on-year.”
One of the volunteers and a mum, who also has sons that play for Ashton-on-Mersey, Kirsty Day is excited about supporting the girls’ section.
She added: “We are a household that loves football and I wanted to get involved to make sure girls in the area are able to enjoy the beautiful game as much as the lads.
“The girls’ game is growing and growing and there are a lot of inspirational female footballers out there.
“We want to be able to encourage girls of all abilities to come along and enjoy the game, learn some new skills, stay active, make like-minded friends and enjoy a great social life that comes alongside it – for the youngsters and their parents.”
Grow the Game is a programme funded by The FA and delivered by the Football Foundation.
It awards grants to grassroots football clubs wishing to create new teams, especially amongst under-represented groups.
If you are in year six or seven from September and would like to learn more about the new girls’ section or if you are 16+ and are interested in coaching email kirsty@aomfc.co.uk or call 07941 605 925 or click here to register interest.
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