West girls in a league of their own
Last updated 19:39, Thursday, 12 June 2008
A GIRLS’ U12 soccer league may be launched in West Cumbria.
Weekly training sessions have already been started and it is hoped the league can kick off in September.
Teams from Seaton, Workington, Silloth, Parton, Bransty and Whitehaven are likely to be playing.
Seaton Girls are already a successful side winning county cups despite not having a league to play in.
The Cumberland FA are currently working with the West Cumbria Youth League and local Charter Standard Clubs in the area to support the girls player pathway in the west of the county.
The targeted age group are current girls in Years 5 and 6 and a scheme with Workington Juniors FC has been operating since Easter.
Around 20 girls from the local primary schools have been regularly attending sessions run by the county FA and coaches from the club.
The programme has now moved on to the next stage. Training sessions run by the club coaches will take place at the Ranch, Workington, on Tuesdays between 5-6pm.
Helen Clark, of Workington Jnrs, said: “The sessions are open to any girls in Years 5 and 6 who would like to play football and play in a team next season.
“We are hoping to enter this team into the new league and would welcome any interested girls.”
For further information on joining the club and attending the sessions, please contact Clark on 07999030887.
With support from Tesco and the National Sport Foundation, there are a number of other schemes running in the area to attract girls to local clubs.
The Cumberland FA have set up School-Club Link Schemes in Whitehaven as well as supporting clubs in Egremont (Windscale), Bransty, Parton, Silloth and Seaton. Work is also under way to set up a similar scheme in Cleator Moor.
Currently girls in the area can only play football in mixed teams up until the age of 11 and there had been no league for girls until they reached U16 level.
Cumberland FA's Helen Aitchison said: “From working with the clubs and the local league, it is hoped that girls in West Cumbria will be able to play in a league which in time will no doubt be as strong as anywhere in Cumbria.”
For further information on any of the schemes or girls/women’s football, please contact Aitchison on 01900 872310 or Helen.Aitchison@CumberlandFA.com
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