Girls Can Play Football Too!

I’ve lost count of the amount of times someone has said to me ‘Will Athena start ballet lessons? Or gymnastics?’ because that’s what all little girls should be doing, right? Actually no, not necessarily! She can take up any hobby or sport she likes, at the moment she loves to kick a ball around with her brother as much as she likes dancing along to youtube videos of ballet recitals. I still find it amazing that in this day and age so many people have such a defined idea of what activities girls and boys should be interested in!

Football is a sport that is so traditionally male dominated, I remember a group of girls at my primary school putting together a petition to have a girls football club as they weren’t allowed to join the boys one! How ridiculous is that? Though it was over 20 years ago now… I’m pleased that at schools have come on in leaps and bounds on the ‘girl’s can’t play football front’ so when Athena starts school this year if she wants to play football she can do! 

 

SSE is a company that also believes that everyone deserves the same opportunities in life, regardless of if they are a girl or a boy. They’ve recognised that football helps to teach girls new skills, grows their confidence and means that they’ll meet and make lifelong friends along the way. Of course it also means lots of exercise, something that many kids don’t get enough of in  our modern, digital world! They want to create and promote opportunities at every level of the game, from small local clubs to the women who stride out onto the football field at Wembley. They even sponsor the sponsors of the Women’s Football Association Cup!

To help raise awareness of SSE’s involvement in women’s football and the commitment they’re putting in to creating equal opportunities in the women’s game they’ve produced the video below. Showing just how exciting and atmospheric a game can be and that no matter how young you are you should never stop aiming for the top…

As part of their work SSE have given over 1000 girls the chance to kick a ball (from age 5 and up!) and enjoy football. Only 41% of ten year old girls play football, compared to a whopping 95% of boys the same age!  They went out and approached clubs across the UK to find out what they thought would help get girls in on the game too; new pitches, new strips, transport to events, paying coaches and buying new equipment. So SSE sprung into action and currently  64 clubs across England are befitting from funds. Their kids go free’ ticket offer has made the pinnacle of the game even more accessible to girls (and boys!) to attend the Women’s FA Cup final!

The recent launch of SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs will provide girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment created exclusively for girls. SSE continue to show their commitment to increasing participation in the women’s game through this new initiative. The clubs will run from spring through summer on a weekly basis and aim to provide a fun and safe space for girls to learn the game and make friends.

To find out more about SSE and their energy behind women’s football click here.

 

7 thoughts on “Girls Can Play Football Too!

  1. My little lady plays football and she loves it! Her big brother was never really keen, but she was desperate to play football from a very young age. She’s now in after school classes and she’s as good as the boys!

  2. Love this – I’m massively against gender stereotypes and I’d already looked into toddler football when I was pregnant with Arthur before I knew if he was a boy or a girl. I fully intended to send him to ballet after doing baby wearing ballet with him when he was little but he’s far too much f a livewire – I think whatever your child is interested in and wants to do should be ok nomatter whether it is traditionally thought of as a boy’s or girls activity

  3. I used to play football & my daughter is 3 and has been to many football matches already (my step brother is manager of a Ryman Premier League Side). Lily absolutely loves football already & I know she will want to play in a team when she is taller (as she calls it!) x

  4. Blooming LOVE this post Lauren. My eldest does ballet and tap but I reckon my youngest will probably be more into football when she gets to the same age. It’s great that there are opportunities for girls to get involved in sports like football – I hate the notion that girls and boys should automatically do one type of activity just because of their gender. It’s so outdated!

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