13:00, 16 June 2009
| by Hannah McDowell
Girls Only Training Session
On 24th June, Manchester United Foundation will give aspiring female footballers a chance to brush up their football skills as part of the FA's Girls’ Football Week. The Foundation will host a free training session at the Cliff training ground - for girls only.
This ‘Skills Session’ will take place on Wednesday 24th June at the Cliff training ground from 6-8pm. The session is available to girls aged 6-16 and players of all ages and abilities are welcome. There is no need to book in advance - just come to the Cliff Training Ground, Lower Broughton Road, Salford for 6pm.
The Foundation is committed to providing comprehensive training programmes for girls. Women’s and girls’ football continues to grow with more players competing in affiliated competition than any other team sport. Over 16,000 females have successfully attained FA coaching qualifications nationwide, 1,300 female referees have been trained by The FA and full-time women’s football development officers are employed across the country. Women’s football has a well-regarded player pathway and a strong Centres of Excellence infrastructure. The number of national players emerging from these Centres is evidence of their success.
There are 52 licensed FA Centres of Excellence in operation across England providing weekly quality coaching and a localised fixture programme for talented girls from the age of 8-16. Manchester United recently obtained Centre of Excellence status following the Club’s U16 girls team being crowned UK and National champions.
The ‘Skills Session’ is an exciting and unusual opportunity for girls to experience football in an exclusively female environment.