DroghedaTown girlsteamformed
The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in France was watched by a record breaking one billion people. FIFA has ambitious plans for women’s soccer, aiming to double the number of female soccer players from 30 million to 60 million players by 2026.
Drogheda Town FC very much wants to be part of the driving force in encouraging young girls to get out on the field and play! And so, this season they are delighted to announce that Sara Terricabres Polo, a former player in Spain’s Preferene league (one step down from the professional league) will be coaching the brand-new junior and senior team.
Hailing from Barcelona, Sara is currently living in Drogheda and studying English. She is passionate about football having started to play at four years of age and is eager to pass on her skills to the next generation of girls playing soccer.
This is a fantastic opportunity for any young girl interested in getting involved in one of the fastest growing team sports for women.
While the USA has long been in the lead having won The FIFA Women’s World Cup four times, this has, in large part, been aided by the fact that soccer in the US has never held the stigma that football ‘is only for boys’. Thankfully these old stigmas are changing fast and Europe is now making headway to catch up with them.
Many of the largest European teams have already launched their women only teams including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Manchester City which Drogheda’s very own Megan Campbell has been signed to since 2016 (as well as playing for the Irish team). She has had a hugely successful career to date. Her dedication to the game afforded her a full scholarship to the Florida State University where she majored in Social Science along with bringing her team to victory in the Women’s College Cup.
There are currently 19,000 female youth players in Ireland and momentum, like in the rest of Europe is growing here also. A recent podcast “Welcome to Ireland 2029: Shaping our future”, from the journal.ie posed the question - ‘ Could Ireland build the world’s most successful women’s soccer league?’
The benefits of encouraging girls to get involved in sport are well documented with The Women’s Sports Foundation showing that girls who play sport do better in school.
Team sports bring their own skills including decision making, communication and problem solving.
The girl’s U8 team (born 2012/2013), training Saturdays at 11:00am in Blackstone Motors Marian Park, Drogheda, A92EY49. Message Drogheda Town FC on their Facebook page for or call 0861506784 more information.