I am a football Mum. In fact, Maxi has been playing football for a team at the local football club since he was five years old. Over the years I have seen a massive transformation in grass roots football and now at our Football Club there are as many girls teams as there are boys and this makes me ever so happy and proud to be working with SSE to publicise how they are the energy behind women’s football.
SSE is one of the UK’s leading energy companies, supplying energy to around 8.21 million customers throughout Great Britain and Ireland and this year and are the sponsors of the Women’s FA Cup. They have introduced a kids go free ticket offer at this years SSE Women’s FA Cup Final meaning that regardless of gender more children will get the opportunity to see this fantastic sport and make it accessible to all.
As a mum to two football loving boys, I am well aware of just how important team sports are to children and have seen first hand just how much Maxi gains from being part of a strong and united team. I am delighted that SSE is dedicated to creating opportunities for women and girls across all levels of the game and think that it is really starting to gain momentum.
Previously I have talked about why it is important to break down the gender barriers in football and get girls in the game and more and more I can see it happening right in front of my eyes. Our Clubs Under 12 girls won their league this year and have been promoted to division one. Yes, it has been a long time coming, but the change has been rapid and it is great to see all the teams in the club being treated as equals.
How can we get more girls in Football?
As a woman, I am really keen to see equality on the football field and would love to know what you think needs to happen to get more girls into the game? How can we get more females to experience the power of football and the opportunities it can provide for all ages?
I asked the boys their opinion and they had a couple of really relevant insights.
Maxi “I love watching football, any football, but a lot of it including women’s games are on late at night and on paid for TV, perhaps it should be on the BBC and at a time for everyone to watch and women’s football should get more coverage”
Mini “I think that girls prefer to play in girls only teams and we do not have one at school. As soon as the football club had girls only teams lots of my friends started playing”
Well, boys, it seems that SSE was listening and the 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.
Do you have daughters? What is their experience of grass roots football? How can we increase the number of girls in the grassroots game?
SSE Final Ticket Competition
5 tickets for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final 13th May 2017
Landing Page (Automatic)
We have 5 tickets for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final this Saturday at Wembley, simply follow the instructions on the Gleam below.
I do LOVE my football. My son is footie mad too.
Pick me for the tickets!
wow fab prize yes please 🙂
My family love watching ladies football. My girls are as obsessed as their brother.
Everton
Birmingham City
We ate a football mad family. We always watched girls football as my only daughter played.
Well………..the OH supports QPR – so by default we ALL have to support them! My football playing twin girls also support Barcelona!
How cool would this be. Thank you for the chance to #win
I do think that a lot of the time the women’s game is more watchable and exciting than the men’s. I love the fact that it’s so much easier for girls to play these days. I knew no girls who played when I was growing up.
We’re going to final on Saturday! Football is good for girls for so many reasons – learning how to work together, exercise, teamwork, etc. It’s a very popular sport with girls in the US, and I love it that it’s taken off here too.
i would be delighted for sophie to get involved in football. its a great sport that teaches the importance of team work and fitness
I support Arsenal Ladies so I have a special love for the F.A. Cup. Although they aren’t there this year (the men are) …I love watching the women’s game as it’s less about power and more about technique and it would be great to watch Birmingham take on City this Saturday.
I can’t wait until my little girl is old enough for football clubs. There is a local summer club for it and I can’t wait to take all four along. With three big brothers she is going to have to get involved in the sports they love and football is a favourite so far. I love that football is becoming more open to girls and women now.
What a great prize – this will be a brilliant day out. Come on girls! x
We def need more girls’ teams, such a great initiative. L got into rugby this year, it’s given her so much confidence.
It’s great to see womens football getting more support – hopefully one day the pay divide between men and women in football will be a bit better too!
My daughter isn’t that sporty but she likes to watch football x x
I think it’s fantastic that women’s football is becoming more popular. I’d love my girls’ to play x
It’s so encouraging to see that girls are more represented in grass roots football, however I completely agree with your boys about the women’s sports being on late at night etc – there’s still so much that needs to be done.