SSE WIldcats Centres take over Norfolk
SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centres from The FAoffer Norfolk girls the chance to play
SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centres from The FA will provide Norfolk girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football. The initiative offers organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment created exclusively for girls. More than 200 clubs have been established throughout England in 2017 and a further 800 are set to launch in 2018.
SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football sessions take place on a weekly basis, either after school or at weekends, and provide a safe environment where girls can try football for the first time. SSE and The FA hope the initiative will inspire participants to engage with football, meet new friends, develop fundamental skills, learn new things and create the foundation for a lifelong love of football.
Sessions in Norfolk include:
· Attlebrough Town Football Club
· Aylsham Football Club
· Dereham Saints Football Club
· Go Geronimo CIC
· Gorleston Rangers
· King’s Lynn Community Football
· Long Stratton Football Club
· Mulbarton Wanderers Football Club
· North Walsham Youth Football Club
· Premier Sport
· Shrublands JFC
· Soccer Stars Football Academy/ Blofield United Girls Youth
· Sportspark
· Stalham Youth Football Club
· Tasburgh United
· Thetford Bulldogs
· Wymondham Town United
Each SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centre will be run in conjunction with local County FAs and utilise qualified coaches and local facilities. As well as activities for girls, there will also be opportunities for attending parents, carers and siblings to engage with the sport at the same time through ‘Family Sessions’ including Soccercise and Walking football.
The initiative is in line with The FA’s Gameplan for Growth, with the target of doubling girls’ participation in the sport by 2020. The strategy for women’s and girls’ football at grassroots level includes initiatives alongside SSE Wildcats, such as FA Girls’ Football Week.
Harry Diggens Women’s & Girls’ Football Development Officer said: “I am delighted that in April 2018, 17 new SSE Wildcats Centres will crop up across the County. These centres will provide a playing opportunity for all, no matter what experience you currently have. The SSE Wildcat Centres will have a fun, friendly and social environment so all girls can enjoy their footballing experience.
“It’s fantastic to see so many new SSE Wildcats Centres running in Norfolk covering a vast amount of the county. I cannot wait to see the Wildcats programme kick off and offer another female football provision in Norfolk.”
Draft Kelly Simmons, FA Participation and Development Director, said: “Since the launch of SSE Wildcats we have seen great enthusiasm from the girls taking part to continue learning and playing football. The 200 existing clubs have proved a huge success and we are pleased to be able to considerably grow the size of the initiative in 2018, offering a much higher percentage of girls across the country the opportunity to enjoy football in a safe and inspiring environment.”
If you would like any further information on where the SSE Wildcats Centres are please contact Harry Diggens via email Harry.Diggens@NorfolkFA.com or call 01603 704050 (Option 1 then option 2).