PULSE


The FA Girls’ Football Festival is a roaring success in Kent!


Last summer 210 girls descended upon Strood Leisure Centre in Kent to take part in a free FA Girls’ Football Festival as part of the FA Girls’ Football Week. The festival, in association with Continental Tyres is aimed at increasing and retaining girls’ participation in the game.


In 2012, Girls’ Football Week had 350 students sign up. In 2016, more than 100,000 people took part, with over 1,000 organisations including schools, clubs, further and higher education establishments and community groups putting on sessions throughout the week, to give girls and women more opportunities to play the game.


Girls aged between five and 16 years, from various schools across the county were invited to test their skills in a range of activities combining football, fun and music at Strood Leisure Centre in Kent. Accredited FA coaches led the event, with Kent FA staff and volunteers on hand to help out and referee. The sessions included skills and drills, interactive games, mini matches and the ContiWarmUp Programme - the coaching programme endorsed by the FA.


Also on offer was a range of innovative equipment, including an inflatable pitch, speed cage, target shooting, quick feet and batak boards, plus Charlotte Lade, one of the world’s leading professional Football freestylers, who throughout the day, demonstrated her amazing tricks and skills. The young athletes had the opportunity to meet Georgina Giddings from the Millwall Lionesses.


Georgina was on hand to discuss life as a semi-professional female footballer and give advice on how to get involved in the game.


Natalie Curtis, Football Development Officer at The FA said: “The Continental festivals are a fantastic way to showcase Girls’ Football Week. The players have enjoyed all the different workshops as well as the Continental area where we have seen some impressive scores today. Kent FA are very proud to have hosted such an event and to see over 200 girls taking part throughout the day shows how Women and Girls football has progressed in the county. The FA’s Girls’ Football Weeks allow us to shine a spotlight on Women’s Football and to raise awareness of the opportunities out there to play, coach and referee.”


“Today our volunteers have come from grassroots Football with the majority of our volunteers being at Gillingham FC Girls Academy. Their enthusiasm has been on show today and hopefully that will inspire others to get involved in some capacity.


“Throughout the county we have numerous events going on celebrating Girls’ Football Week from little ones to ladies, and with our youth girls and ladies plate competitions first rounds going ahead this weekend there is a lot to celebrate in Kent.”


It is now up to us as a County FA to develop a legacy where more girls have the opportunity to play this game we all love.”


For more information on women’s football in Kent and where to play please email: Natalie.Curtis@kentfa.com


8 The Kent & Medway School Sports Magazine


The FA Primary Teachers Award


Kent Sport & Physical Activity Service in conjunction with the Football Association are hoping to offer a FREE course designed for any practicing or aspiring primary school teacher which has been hugely successful in developing teachers’ confidence to deliver high quality PE.


The course presents ideas for lessons using games based around movement skills for 5–11 year olds and the basic principles of invasion games. The tutors show how differentiation and assessment for learning can be embedded in PE lessons and also give guidance to those teachers who might run a school team.


Throughout the course, the tutors will also explain the importance of high quality PE in schools in order to develop confidence, self-esteem and belief amongst children and also the benefits of PE in raising academic achievement across other school subjects.


Candidates will gain a resource booklet and a recognised qualification on completion. At the end of the course the learner will:


Have a greater awareness of the contribution of invasion games in KS1 & 2 PE purpose of study. Understand The FA’s playing and coaching philosophy (England DNA) Understand how to set up an organised Football activity session. Understand how to organise basic FUNdamental games to help develop Physical Literacy. Have an understanding of how to modify practices to manage difference. Understand how to set up 4v4 games for young players and also an understanding of how to further their knowledge and understanding of Association Football through attending relevant courses.


To register an interest in taking the course, please contact Tim Sells on tim.sells@kent.gov.uk or 03000 412330


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