Junior soccer club hoping to build on triumph
A FOOTBALL club which has 50 girl players hopes to build on the England’s historic triumph in the Women’s Euros.
Tytherington Juniors hope more youngsters will be inspired to play after England’s Lionesses secured a first major tournament triumph with a 2-1 win over Germany.
The club has already seen its girl membership rocket from one or two pre-Covid to around 50 today, with three more applying to join since England’s victory.
Secretary Matt O’Brien, whose two daughters Ava, 11, and Isla, 10, both play for the club, said: “Seeing the reaction and excitement to it – it’s going to explode.
“It’s been on the cusp of doing that for a while, particularly in Macclesfield which is a bit of a hotbed for women’s football.
“Hopefully we can all ride the wave of positivity and get more children into sport and grassroots football and enjoying themselves in a healthy way, making new friends and developing themselves”
Founded in 1987, Tytherington Juniors is a community grassroots club run by volunteers and has close to 30 teams and nearly 400 players within the club.
These include boys, girls and mixed teams as well as the Wildcats development programme for girls run with Goal Coaching.
Matt added to secure a legacy to the Euros victory more funding is needed for grassroots football.
“Obviously funding from the FA would be fantastic for more coaches to ensure that girls that are new to football get the coaching that they need and deserve at that first stage,” he said.
“Grassroots football is totally underfunded anyway but more specifically than not at the girls football stage. Funding would help as well as help from local businesses and community members.
“It’s getting the word out to parents that the options are there if that’s what their girls want to do.
Matt added that there needs to be a visible pathway for girls to see how they can progress in football – all the way up to the Women’s Super
League.