Quinn wants schools to encourage more soccer
AS a defender known for her toughness, perhaps it did no harm to Louise Quinn to be left mixing it with boys in her younger years.
The Arsenal Ladies ace has enjoyed a career that has taken her to Sweden and London with a few other stop-offs either side.
Like nearly all footballers, it was love at first sight for the Blessington woman when she first saw the round ball. A case of serendipity got her a first club but Quinn didn’t spent long in mixed teams – her proximity to Dublin proving an advantage and broadening her horizons.
“When I first started it was something that I instantly loved but my best friend and his dad were a coach of a boys team so it also just fell kindly for me too. I joined a boy’s team when I was six and it just went from there. I first started with a boys team but when I was about eight or nine, a girl’s team formed, Lakeside FC, so that then helped move forward with finding a bigger club in Dublin.”
During the transition from mixed teams to all-girl’s teams, Quinn spotted subtle differences but playing above her natural age group meant that she was constantly pushing herself. Far from being scarred by her time sharing a field with boys, she actually encourages it.
“At the time I probably didn’t know the difference but it just would have been a speed thing really. I definitely played with some really talented girls and I used to play girls above my age group so the speed of the game was still there for me.
“There is a lot more access for younger girls, a lot more teams starting at younger age groups so it really is great. I would still advise they play for a boys team also, I think it’s what made the difference for me.”
Quinn feels there are things that can be done to nudge girls into sports and she’ll be doing all she can with the national side to give the stars of tomorrow something to aspire to.
“I think at school level it can definitely be encouraged more. Soccer is such a universal sport and there are pitches everywhere so there is no excuse. And it is healthy for girls to be involved in competitive and team sports to give them those life skills, especially since P.E. is not a priority in some schools I think team sports should be.
“Women’s football in Ireland is on the right track but there is still a long way to go. Hopefully the success of the national team can help push that on. If we can continue to inspire and get more girls involved in soccer we’re doing something right!”