More than 20,000 females ages 14-25 have taken part in the scheme, some with the help of Preston North End – an overall figure which exceeds expectation.
The initiative, created through the FA, Sport England, the Premier League and the Football League Trust has met its annual target for participants early, with 20,992 females attending sessions which run for 30 weeks of the year.
The scheme, which began in October 2013, aimed to have 40,000 females participating by August 2015 – a figure which the programme is now well on course to exceed.
Recently, Preston North End, Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers put on a joint session at Cowley International College in St Helens, and the girls were joined by Fara Williams, Natasha Dowie and the Women’s Super League trophy.
Local Preston school Our Lady’s were in attendance representing PNE, a school which falls under the remit of the Club’s Women and Girls Football Development Officer Mel Brown who coaches in the school every Tuesday.
Speaking of the event, Mel said: “It was a fantastic day very well organised by Liverpool Football Club and very well attended.
“The Our Lady’s girls were a delight and a credit to their school and I was proud they were representing Preston North End at such a prestigious event.
“It was an incredible experience for the girls to meet some England professional players and see where they could be in a few years’ time if they keep at it.”
Preston North End’s female football ambassador Kevin Davies also added his backing to the campaign:” I think it is a great initiative and the hard work from all the coaches in the scheme is really paying off.
“The fantastic participation numbers goes to prove that the interest is there from females to play football.
“More still needs to be done to create a platform for these ladies to play in competitive football but this will help towards that and ultimately getting more females playing football is the goal.”
The scheme, which began in October 2013, aimed to have 40,000 females participating by August 2015 – a figure which the programme is now well on course to exceed.
Recently, Preston North End, Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers put on a joint session at Cowley International College in St Helens, and the girls were joined by Fara Williams, Natasha Dowie and the Women’s Super League trophy.
Local Preston school Our Lady’s were in attendance representing PNE, a school which falls under the remit of the Club’s Women and Girls Football Development Officer Mel Brown who coaches in the school every Tuesday.
Speaking of the event, Mel said: “It was a fantastic day very well organised by Liverpool Football Club and very well attended.
“The Our Lady’s girls were a delight and a credit to their school and I was proud they were representing Preston North End at such a prestigious event.
“It was an incredible experience for the girls to meet some England professional players and see where they could be in a few years’ time if they keep at it.”
Preston North End’s female football ambassador Kevin Davies also added his backing to the campaign:” I think it is a great initiative and the hard work from all the coaches in the scheme is really paying off.
“The fantastic participation numbers goes to prove that the interest is there from females to play football.
“More still needs to be done to create a platform for these ladies to play in competitive football but this will help towards that and ultimately getting more females playing football is the goal.”