Get your boots on for a soccer summer
IF you’ve ever fancied a kick about but found yourself in the stands rather than on the pitch, then now’s your chance to score as a new initiative to encourage women to play soccer as a means of keeping fit has just been announced for this summer.
Women from around Ireland who want to have fun, improve their fitness and meet new people this summer, are being invited to take part in the FAI Cadbury Kick Fit programme, a nationwide joint initiative in partnership with the Football Association of Ireland to drive participation in women’s football.
FAI Cadbury Kick Fit is part of the Cadbury Become A Supporter & A Half campaign, which encourages participation and drives awareness of women in football from grassroots to national level.
The Kick Fit programme was trialed last year and saw major success, with over 800 women across Ireland participating in the pilot programme.
This summer, the eight-week programme will again offer a fun, non-competitive, social space for women to keep fit and meet new people. Each programme is managed by individual clubs and supported by FAI Development Officers and the FAI Women’s Football Programme Coordinator. The joint initiative also encourages the recruitment of female coaches and players to local clubs.
Ireland Women’s National Team player, Abbie Larkin, is an ambassador for the scheme.
‘The women’s game has seen huge success in the past couple of years and as someone who has come through grassroots clubs myself, FAI Cadbury Kick Fit resonates with me and my journey. The people who supported me, the clubs, volunteers, coaches, refs throughout the country is what makes this game very special. I’m excited for people to experience the joy of kicking a ball for fun and remember, all you need is a pair of runners and you’re good to go.’
CADBURY Become a Supporter & A Half has directly supported women in football, from Grassroots to International level, since the partnership with FAI began in 2021 by driving awareness and encouraging participation to close the gap between numbers of men and women playing football.
Pearl Slattery, FAI Programme Coordinator for Women’s Football, says shes excited to get started on this year’s scheme. ‘Last year’s pilot programme went better than expected, and this year, we’re aiming to go even bigger, reaching as many women as we can,’ she says. ‘We want every woman in Ireland to feel welcome, regardless of experience, to come along, have fun, and maybe even discover a new passion!’
So no matter what your age or fitness level, there’s a team waiting for you somewhere in the country. Summer is the ideal time to get your boots on and get started in a welcoming and supportive community of other women, playing the sport you love.
If you are ready to get involved or want more information visit fai.ie/ play-andparticipate/ women-and-girlsfootball/ fai-programmes/ cadbury-kick-fit/.