More girls than ever will be putting on their football boots at the inspiration of England’s Lionesses.
And the national wave of interest following the side’s acclaimed success in the UEFA Women’s Euros has certainly been noticed at Kilgetty AFC.
The club, which recently started women’s football training sessions has a number of flourishing girls’ sides.
And no-one could be happier in the interest in the club than its secretary Sharron Hardwick, who holds Kilgetty nearly as dear to her heart as her beloved Stoke City, where she is a steward.
"We've had lots of messages requesting information about our girls and women's football training since the Euros final," she said. "We hope our new and ongoing training sessions will open doors for women and girls to play football, in a welcoming environment."
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Sharron, the founder of the Fair Trade In Football Campaign, is also the Under 13s girls coach at Kilgetty and is now stepping on to the pitch herself for training with the club’s ladies.
"I've watched Stoke City play football since I was 10, but until Stoke City Community Trust set up Mums Football a few years ago I'd never played,” she revealed.
“Now, thanks to Kilgetty AFC women's football training I can play the game I love. I might be older and a total novice but I feel part of the team and love every minute of the training.
“The female game is opening up, it's exciting to be part of it, I never thought I would be."
Sharron recently attended the FAW's Creating your environment: For her'workshop, led by female representatives of the FAW with the aim of helping to break down barriers preventing women and girls from joining the game.
“Something as simple as football clubs displaying female football images, having suitable sanitary facilities and period dignity, having female representation on the coaching staff and committee are all important aspects in making females feel more welcome and part of the team,” explained Sharron.
But finance is one huge barrier to making this happen.
"Grassroots football clubs are underfunded already. We rely on sponsors and fundraise to pay for basic facilities and pitch upkeep, and our chairman applies for various grants, but we’re always struggling.
“Our changing and outdoor toilet facilities are dire. We have so many junior teams, boys and girls, great men’s teams and a growing women's team, we need the facilities to make our football club a place where all players, male and female, have decent and suitable facilities."
Last year, Kilgetty coach James North set up Under 8s, 10s and 12s girls teams.
The response was immense, with over 70 girls registering within the first few weeks.
James, with coach Lizzie Walsh, is now running Kilgetty women's football training sessions on Fridays from 6pm to 7pm If you would like to play football for the first time or dust your boots of and play again, why not sign up to play at Kilgetty? Contact James on 07872 594290.
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