This summer, England fell in love with football again, but it was the women, not the men, making all the headlines. 25 years after Gazza cried and Sir Bobby Robson took England to the World Cup Semi-Finals, England's Lionesses claimed third place in FIFA's Women's World Cup.
Since the tournament ended, attendances in the Women's Premier League (WPL) have soared, but what does this really mean for the development of the women's game?
Somer Valley Sport Show presenter, Ian Nockolds, visited the Somerset Football Association to ask what they hoped the legacy of England's Lionesses would be. Speaking with Aaron Clements, Women and Girls Development Officer, Ian started by asking how his daughter, Juliet, sixteen months, could become one of England's heroines of tomorrow. "This summer, the FA Skills programme will be running coaching sessions across the county. Free sessions for girls are being run at Rode Playing Field on July 30th and at Purnell FC on August 6th, both starting at 12.30 p.m. These cater for girls aged five to eleven, so Juliet has a few years to wait!" said Aaron.
"Any girls wanting to develop their footballing skills further should look to find a local club. Both Purnell and Midsomer Norton Football Club organise teams for children as young as seven. If Juliet showed promise at her local club, the next step on the ladder would be the Somerset FA Girls Advanced Coaching Centre, licensed by the FA for talented females in the county, aged ten to sixteen. From here, Juliet would need to show the ability to progress on to the South West's Regional Excellence Camp, where impressive performance and ability could lead to an England call-up, from U15 level up to the senior team. If talented enough, it could also lead to securing a contract with a Women's Super League club."
Will Juliet play for England? Time will tell, but if she doesn't make it, the opportunities to be involved in football are many. From refereeing to football admistration, the pathways for women to get involved in our national game are becoming every bit as well established as the opportunities that exist for men. Juliet could also consider following her father into the commentary box!
Over the next few weeks, the Somer Valley Sports Show, broadcast live on 97.5FM, Tuesdays at 6 p.m., will feature a series of interviews with the people charged with developing the women's game in the county, including Joanna Stimpson, Referee Development Officer, and Kirsty Whitton, Children and Young People Football Development Officer.
If you want to see if your Lion Cub can turn into a Lioness this summer, visit: http://www.thefa.com/skills">www.thefa.com/skills or: http://www.somersetfa.com/findaclub">http://www.somersetfa.com/findaclub