Let’s hear it for the
GIRLS!
The popularity of girls and women’s football in Northern Ireland mirrors its growth worldwide.
It is at an all time high and this summer’s Women's World Cup finals in Canada has helped to project the women’s game even more.
With all ages now becoming involved it just shows that anything the boys can do, so can the girls!
At this year’s Dale Farm Milk Cup we are introducing a challenge game between Northern Ireland and our near neighbours in the Republic of Ireland.
“We recognise the soaring success of the women’s game and want to see if we can incorporate that into the Dale Farm Milk Cup in future years,” says tournament chairman Victor Leonard.
Dale Farm is committed to supporting the physical development of all our young people, not just boys. Dairy is an important food for many young girls and can help prevent osteoporosis later in life. The company's partnership with the Irish Football Association and women’s football is a perfect match and Dale Farm, title sponsors at the Milk Cup, are delighted to be on board.
Over the last two decades girls’ and women’s football has expanded rapidly throughout the world with unprecedented numbers playing the game at all
levels.In Northern Ireland we too have witnessed an exciting growth in the game. However, despite the advancements being made locally we realise that there are many issues and challenges being faced by our clubs and volunteers.
A lack of capacity within clubs, a shortage of volunteers, poor access to quality facilities and gaps in the player pathway, particularly at youth level, are just some of the obstacles within Northern Ireland.
Recently the Irish Football Association launched “We’re not Brazil…, we’re Northern Ireland”, the Association’s five-year strategic plan, with a clear vision to ‘promote, foster and develop football in Northern Ireland’.
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Within this document girls’ and women’s football is inextricably linked to the core objectives of the association and, indeed, is highlighted as a major strategic priority. During the last two years IFA staff have worked tirelessly to develop this plan and it has been devised after widespread consultation with the football family and been guided under the stewardship of the IFA Women’s Football Subcommittee.
Annual operational plans will set out key performance indicators and form the basis of departmental target setting. This is an exciting and comprehensive plan – it is both challenging and ambitious and will hopefully drive girls’ and women’s football to a new level within Northern Ireland.
The production of the IFA Girls’ and Women’s Football Plan is a public and explicit commitment by the Irish FA to invest in the development of the female game and we look forward with anticipation to realising the objectives that we set out to achieve.
Too few girls are making the transition from becoming engaged at school to joining a club. The player will be at the heart of this plan, which requires a ‘joined-up’ approach among
all the stakeholders, which will have an impact upon her development and seeks to ensure that an unbroken player pathway is available so that she can realise her aspirations to the full.
It has been developed following widespread consultation and will be driven by the Women’s Unit of the Football Development Department of the Irish Football Association (IFA) and in collaboration with all organisations involved in women’s football. The plan folds into the wider IFA perspective of pursuing wider participation and competitive success in football, as well as utilising the sport to achieve broader social goals.
The vision is: ‘To develop, foster and promote girls’ and women’s football in Northern Ireland’. Six objectives have been identified to realise this aim and each of these will be translated into concrete key performance indicators across all the operational areas.
The plan also includes arrangements for governance, monitoring and review. It is a ‘living’ document and will evolve as it is put into effect. l
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